In an effort to bridge the challenging gap between academic life and professional artistry, the University of Michigan’s Arts Initiative has unveiled the 2025 Creative Careers Residency. This unique program caters to emerging creatives transitioning into full-time artistic careers by providing necessary resources and support.
Entering its third year, the residency offers three U-M master’s level graduates a $40,000 work stipend, health insurance, studio access, and mentorship. These resources empower participants as they embark on ambitious projects that engage the community across various creative fields including architecture, urban planning, poetry, painting, composition, performance, and intermedia arts.
This year’s residents are Willie Cornish from the School of Music, Theatre & Dance, Abigail Lowe from the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design, and Sahara Sidi from LSA’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program. Their selection exemplifies a diverse range of creative disciplines and collaborative potential.
The intent of the Creative Careers Residency is to alleviate the common post-graduation challenges artists face, such as losing access to institutional support. The program offers time, structure, and professional growth opportunities, enabling artists to focus on their creative endeavors. Residents also engage with the university and local community through workshops, expanding their creative portfolio through service.
Mark Clague, executive director of the Arts Initiative, remarked, “After graduation, many artists and creatives face a sudden loss of the time, studio spaces, financial support, and personal networks they relied on in school. These fellowships are a critical professional bridge helping some of our most innovative and creative alumni as they take those first bold steps into sustainable creative careers.”
As a vital component of the Arts Initiative’s mission, this residency program highlights the importance of integrating the arts into the fabric of U-M life and the broader Michigan Arts ecosystem. Through interdisciplinary collaborations and public engagement, the Initiative supports young professionals in their pursuit of creative careers.
Willie Cornish, Master of Music graduate in SMTD
Willie Cornish is crafting an original musical score for a multidisciplinary production that incorporates contemporary dance, fashion design, and live performance, with a debut slated for spring 2026. The project celebrates themes of self-love and transformation through the metaphor of a butterfly’s life cycle. “I’m ecstatic to have the opportunity to collaborate across mediums and create a production that’s very special to me,” Cornish said. “I am beyond grateful for this residency and can’t wait to bring this project to life.”
Abigail Lowe, Master of Fine Arts graduate in the Stamps School
Abigail Lowe is transforming a 10-foot truck into a mobile theatre installation, bringing live storytelling, puppetry, and animation to neighborhoods across southeast Michigan. Through a series of performances, Lowe aims to bypass conventional art venues and engage local communities directly. “I’ve been thinking about this project, in one form or another, for close to a decade,” Lowe said. “The companionship of artists and writers while tackling new work is a huge gift.”
Sahara Sidi, Master of Fine Arts graduate in LSA’s Zell Writers’ Program
Sahara Sidi is creating a poetry collection that explores the intersection of music and poetry, drawing inspiration from Mauritanian Iggawen and U.S. artists. Her project utilizes ethnopoetic methods to reinterpret lyrical forms as instruments for cultural preservation and empathy. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to fully realize this project,” Sidi said. “It’s my hope to reinvigorate the performance of poetry with the logic of musical performance, reinvent the role of our audience, and foster a more collaborative approach to creative writing alongside this talented cohort.”
