Applications for 2025 Prizes for Creative Promise

The Vilcek Foundation aims to raise awareness of immigrant contributions to the United States and foster appreciation of the arts and sciences.

The foundation invites applications for its annual Prizes for Creative Promise and aims to support emerging to mid-career immigrant professionals in the biomedical sciences and the arts who have demonstrated outstanding achievements early in their careers. In 2025, prizes will be awarded in the following categories: 

Biomedical Science: Three unrestricted cash prizes of $50,000 each will be awarded to young, immigrant biomedical scientists who demonstrate outstanding early achievement. Applicants must have earned a doctoral degree (MD, PhD, or equivalent). They should hold full-time positions at an academic institution or other organization, including assistant or associate professor positions or equivalent independent positions. 

Visual Arts: Three unrestricted cash prizes of $50,000 will be awarded to young, immigrant visual artists who demonstrate outstanding early achievement. Applicants in the visual art category will be considered across the following areas of practice: painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, printmaking, ceramic, textile, installation, film/video, digital art, performance that manifests in time-based visual presentation, etc. Applicants must have at least five years of professional experience in visual arts.

Curatorial Work: Three unrestricted cash prizes of $50,000 will be awarded to young, immigrant curators who demonstrate outstanding early achievement. Applicants in the curatorial work categories will be considered for having organized and developed single artist or group exhibitions at any scale or extending over any or time period in the following professional capacities: private or public institutions, foundations, independent curatorial practice, biennials or art fairs, galleries, etc. Applicants must have at least five years of professional experience in curatorial work.

Applicants must have been born outside the United States to non-American parents; be no older than age 38 as of December 31, 2024 (born on or after January 1, 1986); be a naturalized citizen or permanent resident (green card holder) of the United States; be a holder of an H1B or O-1 visa with a valid visa stamp; an H-4 visa holder with a valid EAD card; a recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) relief; or an asylee or an asylum seeker who has applied for asylum and has a valid EAD card.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Vilcek Foundation website.