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About the Fellowship

The Sara Pennypacker Fellowship supports artists whose focus is on creating substantive work for children (eligibility rotates among writers, visual artists, and composers). The fellowship includes a fully-funded, two-week VCCA residency at Mt. San Angelo and a $500 stipend. The residency includes a private bedroom with private bath, a separate individual studio, and three meals a day in a community of cross-disciplinary artists.

Fellowships Details

Current eligibility: Composers creating substantive work for children

Residencies Available: September 1 – December 31, 2025
Fellowship Length: Two weeks
Stipend: $500

Application Opens: October 1, 2024
Application Deadline: January 15, 2025
Application Fee*: $30
Recipients Notified: by April 30, 2025

To be considered as a Sara Pennypacker Fellow, complete the “Application for Mt. San Angelo Residencies, VCCA in Virginia – Fall 2025,” selecting your fellowship interest in Question 2.

* If the application fee presents a significant barrier to application, please write to vcca@vcca.com by January 10, 2025, to request an application fee waiver.

Future Eligibility

2026: Visual artists creating substantive work for children
2027: Writers creating substantive work for children
2028: Composers creating substantive work for children


A Word from Sara Pennypacker

“In twenty-five years of writing for kids, nothing has helped me more than my residencies at the VCCA, where I have been given the time, the space, the support, and the inspiration to produce my best work. It’s a thrill to be able to offer the same opportunity to others who illuminate the paths of kids with their art.” Sara Pennypacker


Recent Pennypacker Fellows

Leah Reid, composer
Sharon Harrigan, writer