Emerging Artist Fellowship
The CODEX Emerging Artist Fellowships aim to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in the world of book arts by helping to reduce the financial barriers to exhibiting at the CODEX Book Fair. The fellowships are meant for emerging artists from backgrounds that are under-represented in the field.
Each recipient of the fellowship receives a grant for the cost of one full table for one CODEX fair, and then a second grant for half of one full table at the following CODEX fair. There will be two fellowships available to attend the 2026 CODEX Book Art Fair & Symposium.
The CODEX Emerging Artist Fellowships are community-supported grants with additional funding from The CODEX Foundation.
Eligibility
All applicants must:
1. Consider themselves “emerging artists.” For the purposes of this fellowship “emerging artist” means someone who has been participating in the book arts field for 6 years or less and is NOT currently enrolled in a degree-granting program.
2. Self-identify as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, as a person with disabilities, and/or as being from a low-income background. Applicants with current financial need will be prioritized in the evaluation process (see rubric below).
3. Have never exhibited at CODEX before with their own full or half table.
4. Have work that shows a dedication to the art and craft of the handmade book, book arts, and/or artists’ books. CODEX specializes in books produced as limited-edition works by hand, using traditional and contemporary printing, binding, and related techniques/skills.
5. Be present for the entirety of the CODEX Book Art Fair (February 7-10, 2026).
6. The fellowship is open to applicants from all nations.
Application
All applicants must complete an external application form that includes:
- A resume or curriculum vitae
- A link to your website (or other online portfolio)
- No more than 10 photos of work you plan to exhibit at the fair. Or short videos (5 minute maximum) in lieu of up to 3 photos.
- Self-reported level of current financial need.
- How does your work address the relationship between form and content? Please cite specific examples from one or more pieces. (950 characters max, including spaces)
- How does your work bring an under-represented, new, or unique viewpoint to CODEX in terms of content, concept, aesthetic, process, or craft? Please cite specific examples from one or more pieces. (950 characters max, including spaces)
Application Timeline
Applications Open: June 2025
Application Deadline: July 31, 2025
Decisions Announced: August 25, 2025
Committee
Special thanks to Aaron Cohick for organizing and facilitating this opportunity with The CODEX Foundation.
The jury includes:
Islam Aly
Julie Chen
Nancy Loeber
Dina Pollack
Keri Miki-Lani Schroeder
Rubric
This is the rubric the judges will use to assess each application.
Self-reported level of current financial need. (0 – 2 points)
- The fellowship would be helpful but is not necessary. (0 points)
- Tabling at CODEX without the fellowship is possible but will be a significant hardship. (1 point)
- It will be impossible for me to table at CODEX without the fellowship. (2 points)
Assessment of application materials (images, website, CV, answers to questions) (0 – 1 points)
- Do the materials show that the making of books is the most important part of the applicant’s work?
- No (0 points)
- Yes (1 point)
Does the application show enough completed work in books and prints to be successful at CODEX? (0 – 2 points)
- 2 or fewer pieces (0 points)
- 3 – 4 pieces (1 point)
- 5 or more pieces (2 points)
Does the work deal meaningfully with the relationship between form and content? (0 – 2 points)
- The form/content relationship is unconsidered. (0 points)
- The form/content relationship is meaningful but not surprising, for example: typeface, binding, color. etc. directly connected to time, region, subject, etc. (1 point)
- The form/content relationship is an active and important component of the reading experience, and/or is surprising and challenging. (2 points)
Does the work bring an under-represented, new, or unique viewpoint to CODEX in terms of content, concept, aesthetic, process, or craft? (0 – 2 points)
- The work shows little or no innovation in terms of content, concept, aesthetic, process, or craft. (0 points)
- The work shows some innovation in terms of content, concept, aesthetic, process, or craft, but is still readily categorizable. (1 point)
- The work has a distinct voice and shows critical and generative innovation(s) in terms of content, concept, aesthetic, process, or craft. (2 points)