The Processing Foundation Fellowship 2027 offers a US$10,000 stipend, mentorship and an eight-month programme for US-based artists, educators and engineers working on open-source AI, gaming and hardware projects. Nominate by 1 November 2026.
Background & Fellowship Description
The Processing Foundation is accepting nominations for its 2027 Fellowship Programme, supporting artists, educators, engineers and creative technologists developing open-source projects that make technology more accessible.
The eight-month fellowship focuses on technological innovation through community participation, with three tracks covering artificial intelligence education, accessible game design and do-it-yourself computing.
Selected fellows will receive a US$10,000 stipend, mentorship, professional development, workshops and opportunities to share their work with the public. Fellows will collaborate with communities to develop tools and resources that others can access, adapt and build upon.
The programme is scheduled to run from 25 January to 26 September 2027, followed by final presentations and documentation on 2 October 2027.
Important: The fellowship is open to nominees based in the United States who meet the requirements of their selected track. Anyone can nominate an eligible candidate, including themselves.
Fellowship Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Processing Foundation |
| Fellowship | 2027 Processing Foundation Fellowship |
| Duration | 8 months |
| Stipend | US$10,000 |
| Fields | AI, gaming, creative coding and hardware |
| Programme start | 25 January 2027 |
| Programme end | 26 September 2027 |
| Final presentations | 2 October 2027 |
| Nomination deadline | 1 November 2026, 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time |
| Eligibility | US-based nominees meeting the chosen track’s requirements |
| Official programme page | Processing Foundation Fellowship 2027 |
Fellowship Tracks and Benefits
The 2027 programme offers three tracks, each focused on building open-source creative technology with community participation.
1. Collective Intelligence — Artificial Intelligence Education
This track focuses on making AI education more accessible to young people. Fellows will work with the Mark Cuban Foundation’s youth community to co-design creative AI education tools.
Projects may include tools for training AI models, visualising how AI makes decisions, creative coding environments for AI, or classroom-ready learning experiments.
Who it is for: People based anywhere in the United States with a passion for education and experience in software development, machine learning or artificial intelligence.
2. Gaming the System — Accessible Game Design
Based in Los Angeles, this hybrid track focuses on developing open-source video game design tools with underserved communities.
The selected fellow will collaborate with students, the Processing Foundation team and gaming professionals to develop accessible design resources, tutorials and templates. The programme also includes online workshops and an in-person summer intensive in Los Angeles.
Who it is for: Game makers, creative coders and educators based in Los Angeles.
3. DIY Computing — Open-Source Hardware
This hybrid track is based in New York City and explores open-source computing, handmade interfaces, portable computers and experimental creative tools.
The fellow will work with a local community to develop open-source hardware and software environments that others can build, adapt, remix and repair.
Possible projects include open-source cyberdecks, creative instruments, portable studios and personal computers for drawing, sound, performance or generative art.
Who it is for: Early-career artists with hardware prototyping experience who are based in New York City.
Artists are not eligible for this track if they are full-time, part-time or low-residency students in any degree-granting programme, or tenured faculty.
Tasks and Fellowship Benefits
Selected fellows will spend eight months developing projects that respond to real artistic, educational or community needs. Projects are expected to involve participatory design and collaboration with relevant community partners.
The programme provides:
- A US$10,000 stipend for the fellowship period.
- Mentorship from the Processing Foundation team and collaborators.
- Collaboration with a cohort of fellows.
- Professional development and opportunities to build networks.
- Workshops, public presentations and opportunities to publish project documentation.
- Connections with the wider Processing community.
- Eligibility to join the Processing Foundation Fellowship Alumni Network.
Open-Source Project Requirement
Every 2027 fellowship project must build on one of the Processing Foundation’s open-source projects, including:
- p5.js
- p5.js Editor
- Processing 4.x
- Processing Development Environment
- Processing 5.0 Rust R&D
- Experimental Python Package
Applicants should review the projects and consider how their proposed work could extend their use, accessibility or impact.
Qualifications and Eligibility
To be considered, nominees must be based in the United States and satisfy the requirements of their selected track.
The programme welcomes eligible artists, educators, engineers, coders and creative technologists whose projects align with open-source creativity and community participation.
Applicants should have relevant experience for their chosen track. For example, the AI education track seeks candidates with software development, machine learning or AI experience; the gaming track targets game makers, creative coders and educators in Los Angeles; and the hardware track seeks early-career artists with hardware prototyping experience in New York City.
The DIY Computing track has additional restrictions for students enrolled in degree-granting programmes and tenured faculty.
International applicants: The programme states that nominees must be based in the United States. People based outside the US should not assume they are eligible for this fellowship.
Additional Information
Important Dates
| Activity | Date |
|---|---|
| Nominations open | 7 October 2026 |
| Nomination deadline | 1 November 2026, 11:59 p.m. PST |
| Selected nominees invited to submit proposals | 2 November 2026 |
| Information session for invited nominees | 7 November 2026 |
| Project proposals due | 23 November 2026, 11:59 p.m. PST |
| Finalist video interviews | Week of 7 December 2026 |
| Fellows notified | Week of 14 December 2026 |
| Fellowship begins | 25 January 2027 |
| Fellowship ends | 26 September 2027 |
| Final presentations and documentation | 2 October 2027 |
How to Apply
The process begins with a nomination, rather than a direct full project proposal from every applicant.
- Submit a nomination: Nominate yourself or another eligible person and select one fellowship track.
- Submit a project proposal: Selected nominees will be invited to provide a detailed proposal.
- Attend an interview: Finalists will participate in video interviews with the review panel.
- Begin the fellowship: Successful candidates will be notified in December 2026 before the programme begins in January 2027.
The review panel assesses the project’s strength, alignment with the Processing Foundation’s mission and potential impact on the creative coding community.
Nominate here: Visit the official Processing Foundation Fellowship page and follow the nomination instructions before 1 November 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Processing Foundation Fellowship 2027?
It is an eight-month fellowship supporting open-source creative technology projects in AI education, game design and DIY computing.
2. How much funding does the fellowship provide?
Each fellow receives a US$10,000 stipend for the eight-month programme.
3. Who can apply?
Anyone can nominate an eligible artist, educator or engineer, including themselves. Nominees must be based in the United States and meet the requirements of their selected track.
4. Can applicants from outside the United States participate?
The stated eligibility rules require nominees to be US-based. The programme directs people outside the US to explore other Processing Foundation initiatives, including its Microgrants and Processing Community Day.
5. What are the three fellowship tracks?
The tracks are Collective Intelligence, focused on AI education; Gaming the System, focused on accessible video game design; and DIY Computing, focused on open-source hardware and experimental computing.
6. Do projects have to use Processing Foundation software?
Yes. Every 2027 fellowship project must build on one of the Foundation’s specified open-source projects.
7. When is the application deadline?
Nominations close on 1 November 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
8. Can I nominate myself?
Yes. The programme explicitly allows self-nominations as well as nominations submitted by other people.
9. When does the fellowship begin?
The programme begins on 25 January 2027 and ends on 26 September 2027.
10. How can I apply?
Visit the official Processing Foundation Fellowship page to select a track and submit a nomination.
Opportunities Feed Assessment
The Processing Foundation Fellowship 2027 offers financial support and professional development for creative technologists who want to develop open-source tools with meaningful community impact. Its US$10,000 stipend and mentorship may appeal to people working at the intersection of technology, education and the arts.
However, the US residency requirement and location-specific conditions are important. Candidates should select the appropriate track and ensure their proposed project builds on one of the Foundation’s supported open-source projects before submitting a nomination.
Disclaimer: Opportunities Feed shares fellowship and education opportunities for informational purposes. It is not affiliated with the Processing Foundation and does not select or recruit fellows on its behalf. Applicants should verify all requirements and dates through the official programme website.
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