About the Fellowship
The Anne Spencer Fellowship, established in 2017 in honor of Harlem Renaissance poet and civil rights activist Anne Spencer, provides a one-month residency and $1,500 honorarium to writers, visual artists, and composers of African American descent. The VCCA residency at Mt. San Angelo includes a private bedroom with private bath, a separate individual studio, and three meals a day in a community of cross-disciplinary artists.
Anne Spencer Fellows tour the Anne Spencer House & Garden Museum and participate in one of the following in the Lynchburg community: a public presentation; a workshop at Anne Spencer partner schools; or another community-based activity in coordination with the Anne Spencer Memorial Foundation, Inc.
Application Details
Current Eligibility: Composers, with preference given to those of African American descent
Residencies Available: May 1 – August 31, 2026
Length of Fellowship: One month
Honorarium: $1,500 upon completion of residency
Application Opens: June 1, 2025
Application Deadline: September 15, 2025
Application Fee*: $30
Notification by: December 31, 2025
To be considered as an Anne Spencer Fellow, complete the “Application for Mt. San Angelo Residencies, VCCA in Virginia – Summer 2026,” selecting your fellowship interest in Question 2.
* If the application fee presents a significant barrier to application, please write to vcca@vcca.com by September 10, 2025, to request an application fee waiver.
Future Eligibility
2027: Writers
2028: Visual artists
2029: Composers
Anne Spencer Fellows
- 2024: Crystal Wilkinson, writer
- 2023: Kyle Rivera, composer
- 2022: Jared Smith, composer
- 2021: Marisa Williamson, artist
- 2019: Donna Hemans, writer