making policy public fellowship 2026
Making Policy Public is an annual program where advocates, organizers, graphic designers, and illustrators collaborate with CUP to create an accessible print resource that uses art and design to explain a public policy, process, system, or social justice issue.
Directly impacted community members also collaborate on projects through feedback sessions organized by the advocate with support from CUP. The knowledge of communities with lived experience is a critical part of collaborations and supports projects that are well-informed, meaningful, and effective.
Since 2009, projects have supported over 500,000 New Yorkers to assert their rights, benefit from social services, and organize to create more just and equitable systems.
Projects have supported greater justice and equity for marginalized communities across issues of housing, community development, labor, environment and climate, immigration, incarceration, education, healthcare, and language access.
Projects have supported advocacy and organizing by:
oversee equitable and just implementation of public policies and programs
train communities on their rights and ways to assert their power
organize for concrete neighborhood improvements
increase the number of people who benefit from services and programs
increase public participation in public processes and issues
strengthen community-centered solutions and policies
Making Policy Public is a program of The Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP) — a nonprofit organization that uses the power of art and design to increase meaningful civic engagement, in partnership with marginalized communities. Since 2001, CUP has worked with over 150 community organizations and 325 visual artists and designers to create accessible community education about the public policies, processes, and systems that affect New York City communities.
Selection Process
September — Application Review: CUP staff review applications for eligibility and share a final list of applications with the jury to review.
October — Jury Review: Jury members review applications individually and then come together for a jury meeting in late October. The jury selects the finalists who will be interviewed by CUP staff.
Mid November — Finalist Interviews: Finalists are interviewed by CUP staff. Interviews are 1 hour and will take place between November 9–18.
Early December — Selection Notification: CUP notifies selected finalists.
January — Partner Orientation: All selected partners come together Wednesday, January 20 to kick off Making Policy Public with an orientation at CUP’s office in Gowanus.
How Does Making Policy Public Work?
Open Call and Selection
Advocates and designers respond to CUP's annual open call for Making Policy Public. A jury of designers and advocates use criteria to select up to four community organizations’ and four designers/design teams. Selected community organizations participate at no cost to their organization. Selected designers receive a $5,000 or $8,000 honorarium (depending on the scope of the project they are selected to work on)—paid in three installments.
Orientation and Kick Offs
Selected community partners and designers attend a partner orientation on January 20, 2027. Two of the four selected projects kick off at the end of January 2027 and the other two kick off in March 2027.
Collaboration and Community Engagement
Each project team collaborates over 7–12 months, depending on the scope and format of the project. CUP facilitates the collaborations, bringing experience in project management, community engagement, understanding complex policies, art direction, language access, and writing in plain language. Advocates and organizers bring their deep knowledge of the issues impacting communities. Directly impacted community members participate in feedback sessions, to shape the project with their lived experience. Designers and illustrators bring their visual skills, creativity, and commitment to using their skills to uplift communities. Together, we create a project that supports community-centered advocacy, organizing, and participation.
Production and Launch
Advocates receive 1,000 free copies of the final project to distribute directly to their communities and networks, Advocates must organize a public launch event within 3 months of printing to get the final resource out into communities. The launch event can be connected to the work you’re already doing, like an existing training, committee meeting, or public event
Making Policy Public Project Schedule
January 2027: Partner Orientation on January 20th; 1st round of collaborations kickoff
February 2027: Anti-oppression, bias in visual design, and receiving feedback trainings
March 2027: 2nd round of collaborations kickoff
May 2027: Managing deliverables training
July 2027: Cohort Gathering to discuss and reflect on projects.
By March 2028: Projects launch through a project-specific public event