INFLUENTIAL ROOTS MUSIC OUTLET REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT
TO INDEPENDENT MUSIC JOURNALISM TO INSPIRE FUTURE SUSTAINABILTY
Nashville, TN – In celebration of 30 years of independent roots music journalism, No Depression, and its publisher the FreshGrass Foundation, announce the 2026 No Depression Fellowship Program with $50,000 in grants to support in-depth, high-quality arts criticism and cultural reporting.
Since its inception in 1995, No Depression has stood at the forefront of music media as the leading source of roots music coverage, offering thoughtful, comprehensive and intelligent criticism and commentary on the deep well of folk, bluegrass, country, and blues music, and well beyond. This was long before the term Americana firmly became part of our vernacular. No Depression continues to champion new artists while supporting those who paved the way. It remains a trusted and vital voice in the rich and vibrant roots community of artists and fans, which continue to expand and influence a multitude of non-roots genres.
The 2026 fellowship initiative will be awarded to four writers across two distinct tracks. The $10,000 Criticism Fellowships have been awarded to two writers selected to produce a total of 12 critical, in-depth reviews of current and historically significant roots music albums. These essays will examine each record’s importance within the genre while contextualizing its relevance to the artist and the cultural moment in which it was created.
No Depression is proud to announce the two recipients of the 2026 Criticism Fellowships. Respected and accomplished writers Erin Osmon and Annie Zaleski will each receive $5,000.
Recipients of the $40,000 Reporting Fellowships will be selected through a public application process and each will produce 40,000-word longform narratives, published in installments on NoDepression.org for the large and passionate community of subscribers. These expansive works will explore the intersection of roots music and modern culture, examining how the genre influences and inspires contemporary life. Each of the two chosen writers will be awarded $20,000. Writers can find the submission form HERE.
In 2016, No Depression awarded its first Writing Fellowship to Sarah Smarsh, who was commissioned to examine how Dolly Parton influenced working-class women. Her work appeared in four installments in No Depression’s print journal in 2017 before evolving into her acclaimed book She Come By It Natural (Scribner). The 2026 Fellowships seek to inspire and foster similarly ambitious works that resonate deeply at a time when the cultural value of thoughtful music journalism is being taken for granted.
By renewing this fellowship program in its 30th year, No Depression affirms its enduring belief in the power of independent journalism and long-form storytelling to document and celebrate the ever-evolving landscape of roots music.
The FreshGrass Foundation, an award-winning 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, publishes No Depression as part of its broader mission to support sustainable solutions for the artistic community. Through partnerships with world-class institutions, FreshGrass brings innovative performing arts experiences to life while investing in the creators and storytellers who sustain the cultural ecosystem.
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