About the Brightwork Fellowship

 The Brightwork Fellowship is a studio-based residency providing a 500+ square-foot studio space at Anchorlight, a solo exhibition opportunity in our gallery, and an unrestricted financial award of $50,000.00 to one North Carolina based* artist per year who is at a pivotal moment in their career.

Anchorlight does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, religion, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, veteran status, medical conditions including HIV, or sensory, physical, or mental disability.

*Applicants must have resided in North Carolina full-time for a minimum of one year (12 consecutive months) at the time of their application submission and, if selected, commit to residing in North Carolina for the duration of the Fellowship.

History of the Fellowship

Founded in 2017 as a collaboration between James A. Goodnight and artist Shelley Smith, Anchorlight is home to 28 artist studios and a 1,500 square foot zero-commission gallery in addition to the Brightwork Fellowship. The first incarnation of the Brightwork program was also launched in 2017 and offered four artists per year a fully subsidized studio for one year, and a solo exhibition at the end of each artist's residency. Eleven artists participated in the program between 2017-2020. A complete list of past participating artists can be found here.

In mid-2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic the Brightwork program paused acceptance of new artists and extended the residencies of artists participating in the program at the start of the pandemic. During this time a new version of the Brightwork Fellowship was developed and in January 2022 the Fellowship relaunched under the current model. In late 2025, the Brightwork Foundation, a 501c-3 organization, was formed to provide stewardship and long term stability for the program. 

Our Mission

North Carolina is home to artists with incredible talent, vision, and skill. The Brightwork Foundation, in collaboration with Anchorlight, has created an opportunity that will provide these artists with unparalleled support in the state they call home. It is the intent of the program to demonstrate to artists living and working in North Carolina that they are valued, worthy of investment, and that the voice they bring to the cultural discourse of our state is a vital facet of North Carolina's identity. More than anything, this program intends to empower NC artists with the gift of time, space, and financial support to fully explore their creative potential.