The Wachtmeister Award is endowed by VCCA Fellow and Board member Linda Wachtmeister and administered by the VCCA Fellows Council. It is presented every two years in rotation to a prominent writer, visual artist, or composer whose significant achievement in the arts is widely recognized. A list of previous award recipients is provided below.
This award acknowledges the vital role of the arts in our world, the importance of artists who exemplify excellence in their field, and the necessity of time and space for the creative phase of all artistic work.
Call for Entries
2023 Wachtmeister Award
Panel of Judges: Sadeqa Johnson, Rebecca Makkai, and David Mura
Eligibility: The 2023 Wachtmeister Award is open to established fiction writers who have not previously been in residence at VCCA. Eligible applicants must demonstrate substantial achievement in their field over at least 15 years, including publications, grants, awards, etc. VCCA encourages artists of all backgrounds to apply. International artists are eligible.
Benefits: The award includes a fully-funded VCCA residency of up to 30 days, to be scheduled between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2025; a $1,000 honorarium; and travel expenses reimbursed up to $750.
The VCCA residency at Mt. San Angelo includes an individual studio, a private bedroom with private en-suite bath, three prepared meals each day, and access to a community of more than 20 cross-disciplinary artists in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains.
Application Deadline: May 15, 2022
Application Fee: None
Notification by: December 1, 2022
To be considered, submit the “Wachtmeister Award 2023” application in SlideRoom by the deadline. A complete application includes a resume, third-person paragraph, and work samples. No application fee is required for this award. Letters of recommendation are no longer required for any VCCA residency application.
Previous Wachtmeister Award Recipients
2021: M. Florine Démosthène, visual artist
2019: Robert Normandeau, composer
2017: Emily Rapp Black, nonfiction
2015: Anne Ferrer, visual artist
2013: Debra Marquart, poetry
2011*: James McGarrell, visual artist
2008*: Kia Corthron, playwriting
2006*: Anna Weesner, composer
2005*: Thomas Roma, visual artist
2004*: Ha Jin, fiction
* The award was originally called the “VCCA Award for Excellence in the Arts.” It was renamed the “Wachtmeister Award” in 2013.