54siblings operator fellowship

train to run a creative platform — from the inside.

The fellowship prepares young operators from Africa and the Americas to build, run, and grow platforms that serve working artists. Fellows lead 54siblings for a full cycle, learning the craft of program design, community operations, commerce, and stewardship.

apply or ask a question
who it's for

early operators who want to build something real.

0–4 years experience

Recent graduates, career-switchers, or artists moving into operations. Formal degrees are not required — evidence of finished work is.

Africa or Americas roots

Fellows are from, based in, or deeply tied to Africa or the Americas. Diaspora welcome.

Building temperament

Comfortable with ambiguity, careful with people's stories, willing to run a small operation end-to-end.

what fellows receive

a real seat, not a shadow.

  • A monthly stipend for the length of the fellowship, paid in local currency.
  • Full operator access — you run the platform, guided by a coach, not observed from a distance.
  • Working equipment (laptop, phone credit, software subscriptions) covered for the cycle.
  • Weekly one-on-one with a mentor drawn from the program's advisor pool.
  • A closing project stipend to seed whatever you build next.
  • Certification and a written reference from The Birthright Project, our fiscal sponsor.
time commitment

a full cycle of focused work.

Fellowships run for approximately six months, full-time. Fellows work from wherever they live, with two in-person gatherings — one at the start (onboarding week) and one at the close (handover to the next cohort). Weekly hours average 30–35, with light weeks around launches and heavier weeks around program events.

application timing

rolling review, cohort every six months.

We review applications on a rolling basis. New cohorts start twice a year — in March and September. Applications for a cohort close roughly eight weeks before the start date. Late applications are held for the next cohort.

selection process

four short steps.

  1. Written application. A short form and a two-page brief on a small operation you've helped run — real or hypothetical. This is where we listen for how you think.
  2. Craft conversation. A 45-minute call with two current or former fellows. No trick questions — we're checking fit and clarity, not credentials.
  3. Sample task. A paid, 4–6 hour sample project drawn from real platform work. You keep the output either way.
  4. Offer. Within two weeks of your sample task, we either extend an offer or send a clear no with feedback.
how to apply

send us a note.

Applications open by email to keep the process human. Send your CV or portfolio link, along with a paragraph on the small operation you'd walk us through.

apply by email ask a question first

fellowship@54siblings.com · reviewed by the program lead