The MacArthur Fellows Program — commonly known as “genius” grants — awards winners $800,000, which is paid out over five years by the Chicago-based John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

The no-strings-attached grants are given to creative people across a variety of fields.

MacArthur 2025 ‘genius grant’ winners include a Chicago photographer

According to the foundation, fellows are selected for their:

Exceptional creativity.

Promise for important future advances based on a track record of significant accomplishments.

Potential for the fellowship to facilitate subsequent creative work.

Recent Tribune stories about the winners:

2024

2023

2022

2021

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