Call for Proposals
How can art illuminate what it means to be human in the age of AI? In a world where efficiency is often prioritized at the expense of creative expression, there are precious few spaces for pursuing artistic inquiry on its own terms. But it might be that such spaces are needed now more than ever—spaces that center craft, curiosity, creativity, community and our shared values as human beings.
Stanford Arts Institute (SAI), in collaboration with the VPA arts+AI working group, invites proposals from current Stanford graduate students and postdocs for funding to support Pockets of Joy (PoJs)—micro-communities created by students, for students, and for no other purpose than to be together and find joy in the process of collaborative, creative inquiry.
PoJs could take many forms, including but limited to:
- Creative writing groups — getting together with snacks/food/drinks to workshop poems, stories, or any other literary forms
- Knitting/sewing/making circles — getting together with snacks/food/drinks to make objects together
- Craft exchanges — getting together to exchange craft skills/know-how
- Curiosity collectives — organizing meals during which people can ask an expert (on genetics, photography, medieval history, whatever!) lots of questions and see where the conversation goes
- Improvisation groups — getting together to playfully explore new ways of moving through space, making sound, or telling stories
Anti-Deliverables:
Recipients of a Pockets of Joy Grant are not required to be “productive” or complete a project. Instead, we invite recipients to participate in building campus culture and community by:
- Sending one or more representatives to a quarterly “Seams of Joy” meal with SAI faculty
- Sharing their story at an Arts Summit held on the Stanford campus in late January 2027
- Collaborating with SAI to document their PoJ activities in some shareable form (e.g., photos, videos, op-eds)
- Reflecting on how their experiences in the PoJ might connect to broader campus conversations about the educational experience at Stanford (e.g., through opportunities available through the VPUE’s AI Meets Education at Stanford initiative
Eligibility:
- Proposed PoJs should be led/co-led by one or more currently enrolled graduate students or postdocs. However, projects could involve collaboration with undergraduates, faculty, staff, or other Stanford community members.
- PoJs should include at least three participants.
- Applicants may be affiliated with any school, department, or program at Stanford.
To Apply:
- Submit your PoJ proposal (max 1 page) and budget to artsinstitute@stanford.edu with subject line “Pockets of Joy Proposal.” The deadline for submissions is rolling through October 31, 2026.
- The project proposal should include:
- Name(s), email(s), and home department(s) of student leads. There is no formal limit on the number of student leads, but the number of leads should be reasonable given the scope of the PoJ.
- A human-written description of proposed activities that center craft, curiosity, and/or creative expression
- Names of any additional participants in addition to the student leads (if applicable)
- Timeline of proposed activities within the AY26-27 academic year. Priority will be given to PoJs whose community-building activities will begin in Autumn Quarter 2026.
- The budget should outline the proposed use of funds, up to $2000. This may include materials, equipment/space rentals, refreshments, local transportation, or other project-specific expenses.
Questions? Email artsinstitute@stanford.edu
Contact:
Stanford Arts Institute
artsinstitute@stanford.edu
