Call for Applications: 2024 Curatorial Research Fellowships

APPLICATION DEADLINE: PASSED
NOTIFICATIONS: MID-MARCH 2024

ICI’s Curatorial Research Fellowships program reflects the organization’s commitment to the advancement of new knowledge and practices. The program supports curators’ research, travel, and the development of their professional networks, promoting experimentation, collaboration, and international engagement in the field.

Conceived to foster independent research, ICI’s Curatorial Research Fellowships offer a framework tailored to each curator’s field of critical inquiry. The fellows will receive mentorship specific to their research interests, as well as $10,000 in financial support. They will have access to ICI’s international networks of collaborators and programs to create opportunities for continued learning. Fellows may be based anywhere as mentorship sessions will be held virtually. The fellowship period is eight months, between March and October 2024.

ICI’s Curatorial Research Fellowships program expanded in 2021, with the support of the Marian Goodman Gallery Initiative in honor of the late Okwui Enwezor, to include opportunities for curators of African descent based anywhere in the world and BIPOC curators based in the U.S. Additionally, ICI offers fellowships supporting Indigenous curators in the U.S. as well as curators focusing on the Mississippi River Basin as a site of cultural production.

In 2024, ICI will accept Fellows as a part of four Fellowship opportunities:

CURATORIAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP FOR CURATORS OF AFRICAN DESCENT BASED ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD

UNDER THE MARIAN GOODMAN GALLERY INITIATIVE IN HONOR OF THE LATE OKWUI ENWEZOR

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About the Fellowship: This Curatorial Research Fellowship is specifically intended to support curators of African descent in developing their curatorial practice. It will encourage independent research study, writing, and/or the development of a curatorial project. Fellows may be based anywhere in the world and will receive regular mentorship sessions virtually. Each fellow will receive an award of $10,000.

Eligibility: As part of the Marian Goodman Gallery Initiative in honor of the late Okwui Enwezor, this Fellowship is available exclusively to curators of African descent based anywhere in the world. Open to curators working independently or with institutional affiliations. Minimum 5 years of experience working with contemporary artists.

Applications may be submitted in English, French, Spanish, or Portuguese, but a working knowledge of English is necessary for participation in the Fellowships, which are conducted in English.

INDIGENOUS CURATORIAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

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About the Fellowship: This Curatorial Research Fellowship is specifically intended to support the development of the curatorial practice of Indigenous curators in the U.S. It will encourage independent research study, writing, and/or the development of a curatorial project. Fellows may be based anywhere in the U.S. and will receive regular mentorship sessions virtually. Each fellow will receive an award of $10,000.

Eligibility: This Fellowship is available exclusively to Indigenous curators in the U.S., working independently or with institutional affiliations. Minimum 5 years of experience working with contemporary artists.

CURATORIAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP FOR BIPOC CURATORS BASED IN THE U.S.

UNDER THE MARIAN GOODMAN GALLERY INITIATIVE IN HONOR OF THE LATE OKWUI ENWEZOR

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About the Fellowship: This Curatorial Research Fellowship is specifically intended to support U.S.-based BIPOC curators in developing their curatorial practice. It will encourage independent research study, writing, and/or the development of a curatorial project. Fellows may be based anywhere in the U.S. and will receive regular mentorship sessions virtually. Each fellow will receive an award of $10,000.

Eligibility: As part of the Marian Goodman Gallery Initiative in honor of the late Okwui Enwezor, this Fellowship is available exclusively to BIPOC curators based in the U.S. Open to curators working independently or with institutional affiliations. Minimum 5 years of experience working with contemporary artists.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN CURATORIAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

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About the Fellowship: The Mississippi River Basin Curatorial Research Fellowship supports curators who focus on curatorial and artistic practices, and/or alternative histories of the region broadly defined by connections to the Mississippi River: an area encompassing 40% of the United States, which includes the watersheds of the Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Arkansas-White-Red, and Tennessee Rivers across 32 states. While being based in this region is not a requirement, current or past direct involvement with the area is preferred. Fellow will receive regular mentorship sessions virtually, as well as an award of $10,000 to encourage independent research study, writing, and/or the development of a curatorial project.

Eligibility: This Fellowship is open to curators working independently or with institutional affiliations. Minimum 5 years of experience working with contemporary artists.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES FOR ALL FELLOWSHIPS

Required materials for all Fellowships:

One-sentence proposal summary (40 words max)
Description of proposed curatorial research, goals, and process, including the next 3 steps you plan to take to develop your research project (400 words max)
Description of resources needed and/or travel plans (100 words max)
Description of mentorship needs (100 words max)
Preliminary list of artists, curators, writers, etc. relevant to your project (70 words max)
Description of the relevance of the project to the field (100 words max)
Description of how the Fellowship will impact the applicant’s practice (100 words max)
Bio demonstrating relevant experience (250 words max)

Other guidelines:

Applicants may apply to multiple Fellowships, if eligible.
Applications should be submitted through ICI’s application portal. Emailed applications will not be accepted. The deadline for applications is January 15, 2024 at 11:59pm EST.
Applications may be submitted in English, French, Spanish, or Portuguese, but a working knowledge of English is necessary for participation in the Fellowships, which are conducted in English.
Contact ICI’s Programs Coordinator, Zoe Dobuler, at zoe@curatorsintl.org with any questions or concerns.

Credits
ICI's Curatorial Research Fellowships are made possible, in part, by the Marian Goodman Gallery Initiative in honor of the late Okwui Enwezor, the Ruth Foundation for the Arts, and the Teiger Foundation, with additional support from ICI's Board of Trustees, Leadership Council, and supporters of ICI’s Access Fund.