Mary Bowman Arts in Activism Award
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Posted By: Reginald Culpepper on 02/18/2026 | |||||
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The National AIDS Memorial will accept applications from March 1 - June 30, 2026 for its young activist scholarship and award program: the Mary Bowman Arts in Activism Award (student and non-student art activists).
The National AIDS Memorial recognizes that some of the most powerful movements for change have historically been driven by young people, like Mary, and like those who are awarded these scholarships. Our vision of a time when never again will a community be harmed because of fear, silence, discrimination, stigma, or hate will be realized only when we unleash the creative force of young people working to make a better world. The program provides a $5,000 award to young leaders advancing progressive change across health, racial, and social justice movements. Inspired by the legacies of Mary Bowman, these awards support activists working to confront inequity, stigma, discrimination, and systemic injustice. While rooted in HIV/AIDS activism, they are not limited to HIV/AIDS-focused work. We welcome applicants engaged in justice-driven efforts such as: • Public health and health justice • HIV/AIDS research, prevention, treatment, access, and activism • Reproductive health advocacy • Peer education, prevention, and community resource programs • Racial justice • Immigrant rights • LGBTQ+ equality • Gun violence prevention • Environmental justice • Drug policy and sentencing reform • Economic and employment justice • Housing and homelessness advocacy • Technology innovation supporting justice work If you applied previously (whether or not you received an award) and remain eligible, we strongly encourage you to reapply. In 2025, we awarded 29 young activists across our programs, each receiving $5,000. To apply, go to the scholarship's web site. | |
| Scholarship/Grant Site: https://www.aidsmemorial.org/mary-bowman-arts-in-activism-award |
