What Is USA Fellows?

Every year, 50 USA Fellowship grants of $50,000 each are awarded to outstanding performing, visual, media, and literary artists. In the last six years, we have invested $15,000,000 in America’s finest artists.

Meet the USA Fellows

Our selection process

Photo credit the artist

Elena Manferdini is an architect, engineer, industrial designer, fashion designer, and teacher. Manferdini applies construction techniques from the engineering field to design clothing, products, and buildings, and patterning has been a particular focus of her research. In 2004, she founded the design firm Atelier Manferdini, which has collaborated with companies such as Moroso, Nike, and Alessi on product designs. She teaches at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), Los Angeles.    

Arlecchino, 2011; photo credit Marcel Erminy