Apply to be a 2021-22 Creative Resident
The Adobe Creative Residency is a year-long program that allows artists in the early stages of their creative careers to focus on building up their local creative communities and their own dream portfolios. Each Resident is supported with a full salary, health benefits, mentorship, access to Adobe software, speaking opportunities, and other project-specific support to make their vision a reality. The ideal candidate is passionate about building their community, skilled in their field, in the beginning stages of their creative career, and has the desire to make the Creative Residency their professional focus for one year.
We are excited to announce that applications for the 2021 Adobe Creative Residency will be open February 16 9a.m. PST — March 14 11:59 p.m. PST. If you’re interested in growing your creative career, read on for application information, tips, and other resources to help you with your submission.
Artwork by Sebastian Abboud.
Application information
Every year we look for a variety of ideas, people, and cultures representative of the diversity of Adobe’s creative community. This year, applications will be accepted from candidates living the United States.
We are looking for future Residents who have a strong area of focus in one of these categories:
- Short-form online video
- Photography
- Illustration: digital drawing and painting
- Multi-disciplinary design: print and/or digital
- Experience/Interaction design using Adobe XD
If your area of expertise isn’t listed above, we still welcome your application. See our alumni page to get a sense of the diversity of fields and styles we have supported in the past.
Artwork by Pieter Boels.
Application tips
Get started
- Begin by reading through the Creative Residency site. Visit the How to Apply and FAQ pages for all the answers to your questions. Make sure you learn what the Residency is about and whether you are an eligible candidate.
- Bookmark this article and the links in it that you find helpful, and refer to them as you build your application.
- Review what previous residents submitted for their applications. Watch resident Anna Daviscourt’s video of five tips for applying.
Form your project vision
- Take time to think through your project. What is your motivation? What will your project accomplish? What materials or support will you need? How much time will each portion of your project take? Give yourself time to prepare thoughtful answers to the application questions.
Complete the application form
- Make a copy or download the application template deck as a PPT file and use it as a starting place for building out your project proposal. Make sure that you address all items and questions outlined in the template.
- Upload your proposal as a PDF into the application online.
Artwork by Natalia Elichirigoity.
Application resources
This is your opportunity to use your creative strengths to communicate your style, voice, and process. Craft a project proposal layout, storyline, and design that exemplify your creative strengths.
Refer to the past residents’ applications on our website. Notice how they used their artistic and organizational strengths to build a strong proposal. Remember that every submission is unique, so make sure yours reflects your style, brand, and voice.
In addition to the project proposal, we also consider your previous creative work, flexibility in trying new things, past work experiences, and willingness to take on new challenges. You can watch 2018 resident Aaron Bernstein’s application video here to see how he uses stop motion animation, audio, and photography to communicate his project concept. This gave us a good feel for his level of skill, what style to expect from his project, and his ability to pitch his design concepts visually and succinctly.
Good luck! We look forward to reviewing your application and hope to meet you soon.