Submission deadline has been extended to April 15.

Please read the below Call for Proposals in its entirety before applying. Applying for the Fellowship is an agreement to the terms and conditions provided in the Call for Proposals

Fellowship Description: 
Naco Heritage Alliance (NHA), a nonprofit responsible for Camp Naco, a historic Buffalo Soldier Campsite located along the U.S.-Mexico border, is seeking artists, scholars, and scientists for a dynamic fellowship program. We invite proposals from diverse disciplines– including historians, writers, other scholarly disciplines, written arts, visual arts, theatre, music, culinary arts, installation art and printmaking, industrial arts, textile arts, and media arts–that engage with the rich history of the camp and/or surrounding area, particularly the stories of African American military service, Indigenous communities, Mexican communities, and borderlands experiences.

The fellowship provides an opportunity for selected arts and scholars to create work that highlights these narratives while encouraging innovation and original artistic expression. Projects should reflect a deep understanding of the cultural, historical, and ecological context of the borderlands and/or Camp Naco and demonstrate a commitment to community engagement through performances, presentations, exhibitions, and/or workshops. Existing funding for this fellowship program concludes at the end of 2026, and all applicants should propose their project in consideration of this.

Applicants are encouraged to propose projects that promote sustainability, foster meaningful connections with the local community, and integrate the arts and knowledge sharing in ways that support the long-term vitality of Camp Naco. Successful proposals will be those that celebrate the history of the space but also contribute to its legacy through accessible, thought-provoking artistic or scholarly experiences for all ages. Fellows will be expected to share their work with the community and contribute to the ongoing dialogue about Camp Naco’s significance. Through this fellowship, we aim to create a platform for new artistic and scholarly voices that inspire, empower, and engage both local and broader audiences in the ongoing cultural narrative of this site.

Proposal Expectations:
There are two main types of proposals: “Specified Call” and “Open Call”. All proposals should include visiting Camp Naco and the Bisbee, AZ area. Familiarity with the area is preferred. In-person and remote components of the proposal should be identified. Applicants are welcome to apply for one identifiable project in each type - “Specified Call” and “Open Call”.

Specified Call proposals focus on predetermined projects determined by the Naco Heritage Alliance to be integral for core functions of Camp Naco in the near future.

Specified Call proposals

Specified Call proposals include the following:

• Content development for the inaugural Camp Naco Buffalo Soldier exhibit in collaboration with the exhibit design team
• Videography and photography residency for oral histories of people connected to Camp Naco and recording of the overall development of Naco Heritage Alliance and Camp Naco
• Updating and editing existing written histories developed by diverse historians at Camp Naco, alongside providing new written content
• Incorporation of art in the overall design of exhibits, in particular the space for first welcoming guests to live to the essence of the historic space in creative ways.

If the applicant chooses a specified call approach, please reach out to info@campnacoaz.org to clarify needs

Open call proposals

Open call proposals focus on unique and creative proposals, integral for engaging audiences with diverse interests and representing new ideas. The ideal proposals will engage with topics or themes that connect to Naco Heritage Alliance’s three main program pathways: honoring the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers of the Southwest; advancing the diverse arts, history, and culture of the Arizona Borderlands; and serving as a resource for the residents of Naco, AZ.

Examples of themes may include (but are not limited to):

• Camp Naco
• Military History
• Borderlands
• Social and Geographic Boundaries, Bridges, or Borders
• Migration
• The American Southwest
• The Chihuahuan Desert Ecoregion
• Underrepresented People of the Southwest including

-Black Communities

-Mexican Communities

-Indigenous Communities

-And others

Opportunities to connect between fellows during the period will be provided.

Proposals for both residencies and non-residencies will be considered. Residencies will be preferred for those who already have residence within a 100-mile radius of Camp Naco. Residencies are defined for this call for proposals as a project where the applicant will be available physically in Southern Arizona the majority of the time, and non-residencies are understood as remote projects with limited visits to Cochise County and Camp Naco.

Camp Naco will be under construction at various times throughout the year, and while construction is happening, site visits may be limited. If a project proposal is accepted, the options for visiting will be discussed with the specific candidate.

Eligibility:
The Naco Heritage Alliance Fellowship Program is open to artists, scholars, scientists, journalists, traditional knowledge keepers, storytellers, and other creatives. Residential fellows are preferred within a 100-mile radius of Camp Naco. International applicants are welcome to apply but the NHA and the City of Bisbee are unable to sponsor a residence visa; those without a residence visa can still apply as a non-residential Fellow. All applicants 18 years of age or older are welcome to apply regardless of their level of education, experience, race, age, sex, religious belief, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, tribal, or national origin.

Current members of the NHA Board and staff are ineligible to apply. City of Bisbee staff are ineligible to apply. Members of the project team responsible for judging applications are ineligible to apply. Fellowship alumni are ineligible to re-apply until five years after successful completion of a previous fellowship.

Application non-acceptance does not preclude the applicant from applying in future iterations of the fellowship.

Stipends, and Copyrights:
A typical Fellowship includes a stipend that is inclusive of all costs, including necessary living and professional expenses. Stipends will be dispensed in three increments: an initial payment on or prior to the Fellowship start date; at the mid-project point upon completion of a progress report and mid-project deliverables; and the final upon payment completion of the final deliverables at the end of the Fellowship. All products and deliverables created from the Fellowship program become the copyrighted property of Naco Heritage Alliance for their use with full attribution given to its creator.

Fellows will not be classified in any manner as an employee of the City of Bisbee nor the Naco Heritage Alliance.

Application Narrative Questions:

1. Project Proposal: Connection to Camp Naco and/or the Borderlands
2. Clarify specified call topic/s or open call topic/s
3. Specify Residency vs. Non-Residency project
   Please provide a detailed description of your proposed fellowship project. How does your proposed project engage with the history and cultural significance of Camp Naco and the borderlands? How will your artistic or scholarly practice contribute to a deeper understanding of this heritage
4. Community Engagement and Accessibility
   Community engagement is central to this fellowship. How do you plan to involve the local community in your project? Describe how your work will be accessible and meaningful to a diverse audience, including residents of the Naco area and beyond.
5. Beyond additional funding, how does this fellowship benefit you and your scholarly or artistic practice?
   This project should be an opportunity for developing your own skills in some capacity. Camp Naco, Cochise County, the Bisbee area, and the Arizona Borderlands and the topics this space lends itself to are unique. How will this benefit you after the completed fellowship?
6. Innovation and/or Artistic expression
   We are seeking proposals that encourage creative expression and innovation in research. How does your project push artistic boundaries or offer a fresh perspective on the borderlands or Camp Naco’s history or cultural context?
7. Please provide a timeline for your project with clear milestones for project completion, including outputs useable by Camp Naco after the end date 
   (We understand the timeline might change)
   All timelines should include needs for estimated visits of Camp Naco, remote needs, and outputs relevant to the project. Outputs should clearly be understood and should have usability beyond the fellowship period.
8. Please provide a detailed budget that clearly articulates how funds will be allocated (materials, travel, etc)
   This is an all inclusive budget, including a personal stipend, materials, travel, lodging, food, or any other items you need to fully complete your project. Average projects are expected to budget between $5,000 and $30,000, but uniquely compelling and/or efficient proposals outside this range may be considered.

Decision-making Process
Project approval or rejection decisions will be made by a Fellowship Project Team of at least 7 members, using the following matrix established to review applications and assorted materials. These Fellowship Project Team members will consist of a subset of board members and advisory group members of the Naco Heritage Alliance as well as members outside the formal structure of the organization. Those on this project team, and those with family members or close personal relationships with candidates must sit out of the rating process for those candidates. Sitting out from rating will not negatively or positively affect the applicant’s ratings.

Applicants will receive sensitive and critical anonymous feedback from the committee and decisions by the Fellowship Project Team will be submitted to the Bisbee City Council for disbursement.

Payment is contingent on Bisbee City Council disbursement approval.

Accepted projects will be publicly announced after judging process concludes.

Matrix: 

Candidates are expected to reach over 50% on points for each matrix component. To clarify - candidates who fail to successfully reach 2.5 out of 5 or 5 out of 10 points on each and every matrix component (averaged among project team member scores) will be less likely to be accepted

1. Understanding of relevant history & cultural context including the interwoven relationship of themes (5-point Scale)
   How well does the proposed project connect and reflect the historical and cultural context of Camp Naco? Does the applicant's background suggest a deep understanding of this history or place?
2. Creativity and innovation (5-point Scale)
   How does the applicant's work demonstrate creativity, empowerment, and innovation? Does the proposal encourage original ideas?
3. Expertise (5-point Scale)
   Does the applicant's previous work demonstrate relevant experience for success in the program?
4. Engagement and accessibility (5-point Scale)
   How will the applicant's work foster connections with priority communities? Will it provide accessible and meaningful arts experiences for diverse groups? Will the applicant commit to engaging the local community through exhibitions, performances, workshops, or other accessible platforms?
5. Impact of proposed work on local audiences (10-point Scale)
   How will the applicant's work impact the local community? Does it have the potential to inspire, educate, and catalyze positive change? Does the applicant have a clear connection to this space?
6. Impact of proposed work on broader audiences (10-point Scale)
   Will this project be attractive to potential funders, tourists, and other future scholars and artists? Does it raise regional and national awareness of Camp Naco and the Bisbee area?
7. Feasibility of the proposed project (10-point Scale)
   Is the project feasible within the timeline, resources, and scope of the fellowship? Does the applicant demonstrate practical planning and clear objectives?
   
8. Budget-Did the applicant provide a clearly articulated budget? Does the budget seem realistic?
9. Timeline-Did the applicant provide a clearly articulated timeline?
   
10. Resources Requested
11. Curriculum Vitae or Resume
12. Bio
13. 2-5 Work Samples
14. 2-4 Professional References
15. Additional Documents and Photos