2025 Van Lier Fellowship in Music

The Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) is pleased to administer, with support from the New York Community Trust, the 2025 Van Lier Fellowship. This year, the fellowship will be awarded to two NYC-based Asian American Musicians – in the categories of Music Composition and Music Performance – who seek to make an impact on the Asian American community to help develop new or existing work.

A4’s mission is to ensure greater representation, equity, and opportunities for Asian American artists and cultural organizations through resource sharing, promotion, and community building. In line with these efforts, it is the aim of the A4 Van Lier Fellowship to support early-career individual Asian American artists living in New York City to develop work that will help fuel Asian American and creative discourse.

Created by the will of Sally Van Lier, the Trust carries out Edward and Sally Van Lier’s legacy of arts appreciation by supporting arts groups and training programs to provide education, training, or other support to young artists.

The Van Lier Fellowship is awarded to two early-career Asian American artists, age 30 or younger at the start of the fellowship. The fellows will receive an unrestricted cash stipend of $7,500 each and an eight-month fellowship tailored to respond to the unique needs of their practice. The fellowship includes artistic mentorship with an established or mid-career music professional, career coaching, and a range of technical support.

A4 will administer an open application process.

Fellowship Description:

In addition to the cash stipend of $7,500, the fellow will participate in an eight-month program beginning in May 2025 and ending in December 2025. The fellowship is structured in three phases, each facilitating a different area of professional development.

Phase 1: Career Coaching
May – July 2025
The selected fellows will receive a minimum of three coaching sessions from an esteemed career coach. The coaching will cover core value strengthening and goal setting/vision planning. These sessions are meant to offer personal and professional development tools for the fellows to empower themselves as a leader of their vision, craft, and field.

Phase 2: Artistic Mentorship
July – September 2025
The selected fellows will receive artistic mentorship from an established or mid-career music professional. The mentorship will include one-on-one meetings with the appointed mentor. The mentor will be chosen by A4 staff based on field recommendations and with input from the fellows, giving consideration to their interests and preferences.

Phase 3: A4 Public Program
October – December 2025
The selected fellows will work with A4 staff to develop and present one community workshop or public presentation by December 2025 based on their experience with the fellowship or work generated through the process. A4 can support up to $1,000 in production funds and help make connections with venue partners.

Requirements

The applicant MUST:

• Be of Asian heritage
• Be 30 years of age or younger at the start of the fellowship (your birthday must fall on or after May 2, 1994)
• Not be currently enrolled as a full-time or part-time student in a degree-granting program in a field related to music or performing arts during the fellowship period; exceptions may be made for post-graduate students in a field unrelated to music or performing arts
• Be a resident of New York City (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, or Staten Island)
• Be currently living in the US and primarily based in New York City during the fellowship period (May – December 2025)

NOTE: Current A4 staff, board members, and review panelists are not eligible. Immediate family of A4 staff, board members, and review panelists are not eligible.

Selection Criteria:

• Artistic merit: Technical skill, clarity, imaginativeness, and uniqueness based upon body of work/chosen medium and work samples submitted.
• Creation of new work: Description of the project to be developed or completed during the fellowship.
• Community impact: Articulation of interest or hopes to make a significant impact on the Asian American arts community based on narrative responses in the application.
• Potential for growth: Extent to which the fellowship will advance the applicant’s goals and career.

Application Instructions

All applications must be submitted online via Jotform by the deadline: 11:59 PM ET on MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2025.

Accessibility Note: A4 is committed to creating inclusive and accessible programming. If you require any accommodations including language translation, or large print, please email programs@aaartsalliance.org at least two weeks before the application deadline. We will do our best to accommodate.

Online application (Contents):

Please select the artist category for which you identify:
Music Composition
Music Performance

Artistic Statement:
Identify your unique artistic approach to your chosen medium. (300 words max)
Optional: Describe the influences, legacies, and/or heritages in your work. (100 words max)

Professional Growth:
Describe where you are in your professional and artistic career. Share key moments, accomplishments, and/or learnings in your career thus far. (300 words max)

Describe upcoming goals and how this fellowship may help you achieve those goals (300 words max)

Describe an existing or new body of work you wish to develop during the 8-month fellowship (300 words max)

Community Impact:
What is your relationship to the Asian American community and how do you hope to impact the community through your project? (300 words max)

Fellowship Benefits:
If awarded the fellowship, how do you plan to use the unrestricted cash grant? (100 words max)

Letter of recommendation (This may be from an educator, presenter, professional, or individual who is familiar with your work as an artist. Please upload as a PDF file)

Resume and headshot

Work samples
Submit a minimum of three and up to 5 recent work samples (within the past 4 years) that best demonstrate your style and approach to your work and where you are now in your career. The work samples in total must not exceed 15 minutes.

Your chosen work samples will be evaluated for artistic quality, technical skill, and ability to execute and innovate with your proposed body of work.

All video or audio samples must be provided by a link
Include a description of the work samples (e.g. title, date, presenting/exhibition location) and why it was chosen.

Proof of Residency in NYC
Proof of Age

Key Dates:

February 18, 2025 – Public Announcement of Open Call
February 27, 2025 – Virtual Information Session, 12–1:00pm ET (Recording)
March 24, 2025 – Submissions Close by 11:59pm ET
March–April 2025 – Panel Review Period
April 25, 2025 – Notification of Award
May 8, 2025 – Public Announcement of Fellows

Review panels are composed of a diverse group of respected professionals in the field. All are distinguished artists and arts professionals.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Who were the Van Liers?

Throughout their lives, Sally Van Lier and her husband Edward were avid visitors to the City’s museums, concerts, and plays, and introduced many young people to the arts. Sally was a theatrical performer in the New York Theater in the 1920s and appeared in the original production of Showboat.

How do you define “outstanding promise”?

The ideal applicant is an early-career musician who shows extraordinary clarity of thought and creativity in their artistry and may realize greater achievement with additional professional development support.

Do I have to be Asian American to apply?

Yes. The fellowship is awarded to an artist of Asian descent. Ethnic origins include Central Asian, East Asian, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, South Asian, Southeast Asian, West Asian, Middle Eastern, and Multi-regional (Mixed race).

Is the fellowship open to US citizens/permanent residents or people of all immigration statuses?

Anyone who lives in New York City and has a SSN (Social Security Number) or ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is eligible to apply.

If I am a PhD student in an unrelated field to music eligible to apply?

We are willing to make exceptions for post-graduate students in a field unrelated to music. Please email programs@aaartsalliance.org to confirm.

How are the Van Lier Fellows selected?

The fellows will be selected through an open call and jury process. Submitted applications will be reviewed by a jury composed of music professionals. Current board and staff members of A4 will not participate in the review process.

If I am traveling out of the country in the summer for a month or so, can my application still be considered?

If you are in New York the majority of the fellowship period (May-Dec 2025), and you qualify for the other eligibility requirements, then yes, your application will be considered. We understand that folks will sometimes need to travel for shows, performances, and personal reasons.

I am looking for a little more guidance on what the letter of recommendation should look like – what should recommenders focus on?

We’re asking for a letter from someone who knows your work. In the letter, they should share how they know your work, why they think you would benefit from this fellowship, where you are in your career, and how you’re poised for growth with this support. We want to know that you are dedicated to your craft, so if there are any examples of leadership and your work within the community, they can highlight that.

If I am graduating in May, can I apply?

If you are graduating in May, you are able to apply as long as you are not a full or part-time student during the entirety of the fellowship period.

I’m currently an international student. After I graduate, I will transfer from an F1 Visa to OPT F1 Visa. I have a SSN because I’ve been working here in the states. Are non-U.S. citizens eligible to apply?

As long as you are living in NYC during the fellowship period (May-Dec 2025), then yes, you are eligible to apply.

I’m a student that is not currently living in NYC, but I’m planning to move in late May. I don’t have a current NYC address that I can provide. Am I eligible to apply?

Unfortunately, no, you have to be a NYC Resident, and there is a place in the application to upload proof of residency. That said, there are plenty of opportunities and programs available for artists outside of this fellowship. We encourage you to follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter. We’d love to see you at a future A4 event once you settle into the city!

Does past work that we highlight in our work samples and resumes need to be in NYC or from anywhere?

The work you highlight can be from anywhere; there are no geographic restrictions for past work.

Do you anticipate any collaboration between the Music Composition and Music Performance Fellows?

That is up to the fellows! Friendships and partnerships have formed between fellows in the past. It’s encouraged if it feels natural, but there is no formal expectation of a collaboration.

When we apply do we need to apply exclusively for the composer or performer grant?

Yes, we ask that you select your application to be considered for either the fellowship in composition or in performance. Please select the category that more strongly applies to you, and reflects the new/existing work you hope to develop during the fellowship.

Is the review panel different for the composer vs performance opportunity?

The review panel will be the same one evaluating both applications in composition and in performance. There will be five panelists from the industry and they will represent a range of backgrounds, styles, and perspectives including at least one in composition and at least one in performance.

Are there any genre preferences when it comes to composition?

No preferences for genres. The review panel will include musicians across a variety of genres.

Do you have to be a resident of NYC by the application date or by the start of fellowship?

You must be a resident of NYC by the application date.

For the community statement impact, is this a concrete thing we want to do during the fellowship, or a general theme?

In your community statement, we invite you to share the ways you have and hope to impact the community generally including during the fellowship.

Does the “community” refer to others within the Asian diaspora, or can it also apply to the community I’ve grown up with in NYC?

We are primarily interested in your relationship to and impact on the Asian American community/diaspora. You are free to also share how you’ve made an impact on other communities especially if it demonstrates how you hope to make an impact on the AAPI community.

What if I have more questions?

If you have any questions about the application or awards process, please contact Justine Lee, Programs Director at programs@aaartsalliance.org.

The virtual information session occured on Thursday, February 27 from 12:00–1:00 pm ET. The one-hour session included the background and logistics of the awards process, eligibility, and tips on how to prepare a strong application. Here is a link to the recording.