Wachtmeister Award

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.

2023 Wachtmeister Award for Fiction

Thank you to everyone who applied for the 2023 Wachtmeister Award, which was open to established fiction writers demonstrating substantial achievement in their field over at least 15 years, including publications, grants, awards, etc., and who have not previously been in residence at VCCA.

Panel of Judges: Sadeqa Johnson, Rebecca Makkai, and David Mura

We are pleased to announce Kelly Luce as the 2023 winner. Luce will receive 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 a travel stipend of $750. The VCCA residency at Mt. San Angelo includes an individual studio, a private bedroom with private en-suite bath, and three prepared meals each day in a community of more than 20 cross-disciplinary artists in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains.

Kelly Luce Named 2023 Wachtmeister Award Winner