SHAY WAFER EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT FELLOWSHIP
The Shay Wafer Executive Management Fellowship is a semester-long fellowship for Black Women Creatives in the United States to work and study alongside Unlock Creative: Coaching and Management Solutions LLC’s Founder and Executive Director, Ashley Walden Davis.
Unlock Creative is looking to deeply invest in a reciprocal co-mentorship and learning exchange with Black Women Creative souls. Those who may find this experience valuable will include creative producers, artists across disciplines, creative managers, and arts administrators interested in learning more about creative business management and nonprofit administration. If your values align with ours which include authenticity, honesty, love, grace, joy, black beauty, equity, and justice, Unlock Creative could be a great place for you to grow with us. Learn more about our values here.
Founder & CEO Ashley Walden will serve as the mentor to students during their participation and the fellow will also work with Unlock consultants, and partners.
UPDATED FELLOWSHIP DATES
Next Fellowship Opportunity: September, 2023 - December 15, 2023 (Full Year, Spring, Summer, and Fall opportunity available.)
All applications are accepted on a rolling basis but due no later than August 20, 2023, details below.
ABOUT SHAY WAFER
Shay Wafer, has demonstrated a stalwart dedication to the arts and community development through many years of service to the field. Her passionate vision is balanced with pragmatic experience, as she has held senior-level positions at a number of non-profit arts organizations with a focus on African Diasporic programming and community engagement. Shay Wafer is the mentor and arts mom to Unlock Creative Co-Founders, Candace L Feldman, Ashley Walden Davis, and hundreds of other Black artists and administrators. For this reason, we honored Shay in November 2020 and named this Executive Fellowship in her honor. To learn more about Shay, click here.
HOW TO APPLY
KEY DATES
UPDATED FELLOWSHIP DATES
Founder & CEO Ashley Walden will serve as the mentor to students during their participation and the fellow will also work with Unlock consultants, and partners.
Next Fellowship Opportunity: September, 2023 - December 15, 2023 (Full Year, Spring, Summer, and Fall opportunity available.)
All applications are accepted on a rolling basis but due no later than August 20, 2023, details below.
COMPENSATION
We believe in compensating labor and do not support unpaid internships. There is a small stipend available guaranteed $1,000 (up to $2,500) along with the credit students may be earning from their institution. We are continually raising money to support and enhance the fellows’ stipends and professional development opportunities to allow for a myriad of Black Women to participate including single moms, caregivers, community college students, those from low wealth Black communities and impacted by the pandemic.
We are looking for students and independent learners who are seeking a 20 – 30 hour a week practicum and real- world experience at an Creative Black Women owned business to bolster their undergraduate, graduate, or independent studies. Independent Learners include those who are self-taught, out of college, have another major in college, or changing careers later in life.
The schedule will include 15-30 hours a week of remote work. The range is flexible as we understand the restraints that independent learners and non-traditional students may have. We encourage the participation of these women. Due to the current Covid-19, there is no planned travel at this time. However, in the future or as permissible, Unlock Creative will cover the cost of travel and professional development attendance as agreed upon with fellow.
Fellows will practice and learn to:
Organize and manage events including workshops, regional gatherings, and client meetings.
Administer and execute a grant panel process.
Facilitate peer panel process.
Facilitate artist conversations and feedback conversations.
Draft and review agreements and program copy.
Fellows will:
Survey the national field of Black Women Creatives and Black Artists.
Learn about the Arts Service Organization and Arts Philanthropy ecosystem.
Engage with the national field of Black social justice artists and activists.
Connect learning and artistic work with social movements.
Have an array of opportunities to participate and listen in on client meetings, organizational meetings, as well as arts and social justice conferences.
Furthermore, the entire Unlock Creative organization will lend its support, resources, and knowledge into the development of the Fellows.
APPLICATION PERIOD
The application period is open now until August 20, 2023. Email resume, cover letter, a professional photo, and optional writing or design sample (3-page maximum) to General Manager Ingrid Thompson at ingrid@unlockcreative.org.
Your resume should include your linkedIn profile/ website/ or portfolio if applicable and 2-3 sentence bio/ summary. In your cover letter, please address why you would like to be a fellow at Unlock Creative, your career goals, and what you hope to gain from this experience.