Call for applications

Cranbrook Academy of Art is a dynamic community of architects, artists, and designers working together to shape the future of visual and material culture. Ranked as one of the country’s top graduate-only programs in architecture, design and fine art, Cranbrook is a place for students who are looking to leave their MFA program prepared to immediately enter the industry or open their own studio practice.

This year, Cranbrook is offering up to ten full-tuition fellowships through its newly established Gilbert Fellows program, part of the transformational 30 million USD gift from Jennifer and Dan Gilbert intended to create new pathways for inclusion, diversity, equity, and access to graduate education.

At Cranbrook, graduate students and mentors work side by side to develop an individual voice for a lifelong creative practice. Situated on a campus that is a National Historic Landmark, designed by Eliel Saarinen, the remarkable physical setting matches the intellectual and artistic one. At Cranbrook, individual effort creates a shared community that values risk-taking, curiosity, and experimentation directed to influence contemporary culture around the world. 

The Academy’s community is comprised of up to 150 graduate students working in eleven disciplines: Architecture, 2D Design, 3D Design, 4D Design, Ceramics, Fiber, Metalsmithing, Painting, Photography, Print Media, and Sculpture. Each department has its own artist-in-residence serving as attentive mentors, and students are active contributors to the intellectual and creative resources of the community.

An international roster of artists, designers, and thinkers are also invited to visit campus or meet virtually with students each year, creating an extended international network for each student to draw upon.

Cranbrook’s significant physical facilities provide students with private studios, supported fabrication and media spaces, a renowned art museum, and 300 acres of expansive architecture and landscape design. Our two-year MFA program positions our graduates for advanced work in art, architecture, and design and provides connections that last a lifetime.

Note: There are no formal classes or set schedules at Cranbrook. Only unlimited studio time and critical discussion of work with your peers and industry leaders. If you feel this is the right environment for you, we welcome your application to join our community. There simply is no other school—no other place—like this.

Apply here. Priority for fellowships will be given to those who apply by January 15, 2022.