We are no longer accepting applications for 2023–24 Fields of the Future Fellowships. Please check back for information about applying for 2024–25 fellowships in fall 2023.
Bard Graduate Center (BGC) is pleased to continue its annual Fields of the Future fellowship and mentorship program, which aims to help promote diversity and inclusion in the advanced study of the material world. These fellowships—for both scholars and artists—reflect our commitment to explore and expand the sources, techniques, voices, and questions of interdisciplinary humanities scholarship from different perspectives. BGC studies the past in its own terms in order to better understand where the future has come from. We invite applicants to submit projects that they think map the fields of the future. In an effort to promote necessary diversity and inclusion in the fields of decorative arts, design history, and material culture, we particularly wish to encourage applicants from historically underrepresented groups and/or projects of related thematic focus.
Scholars should have university, museum, or independent backgrounds and possess a PhD or equivalent professional experience. Doctoral students of exceptional promise are also encouraged to apply. Artists should make clear how being a fellow at BGC would benefit their research practice. Artists at any career stage may apply, but applicants should not be enrolled in full-time undergraduate or graduate programs.
The fellowships are intended to fund collections-based research at Bard Graduate Center or elsewhere in New York City, as well as writing, reading, and creative projects in which being part of our dynamic research environment is intellectually valuable. Fellows will be paired with BGC faculty and research librarians to connect with human and material resources. Learn more about our research collections here.
Scholars: All application materials should be emailed to [email protected] as a single PDF file. Please make both the name of your PDF file and the subject line of your email submission Lastname Scholar Application. Applications should include: (1) BGC fellowship application form; (2) cover letter explaining why Bard Graduate Center is an appropriate research affiliation; (3) 150-word abstract of project; (4) detailed project description; (5) CV; (6) publication or academic writing sample of approximately 20–30 pages; (7) names and contact information for two references. Letters of recommendation are not required.
Artists: All application materials should be emailed to [email protected] as a single PDF file. Please make both the name of your PDF file and the subject line of your email submission Lastname Artist Application. Applications should include: (1) BGC fellowship application form; (2) artist statement about your creative and intellectual interests explaining why Bard Graduate Center is a good fit for your practice; (3) a project description (1,000 words max); (4) CV (please include your website); (5) portfolio: up to five samples of work completed within the past five years. This can include images (up to 10MB each; .pdfs only), video (up to 250MB each), audio (up to 30MB each). Each time-based work sample should be no longer than five minutes in length. For writers of any discipline please submit no more than 12,000 words total (approx 25 pages). You may submit up to five different samples or one continuous; (6) names and contact information for two references. Letters of recommendation are not required.
We are no longer accepting applications for 2023–24. The application deadline for 2024–25 fellowships will be announced in fall 2023.
The stipend rate is $3,500 per month. Fellowships will be awarded for one semester (four months in the fall or spring). Fellows will be given a workspace in our Research Center at 38 West 86th Street in New York City and accommodation at Bard Hall, our residential facility located at 410 West 58th Street.
We do not reimburse fellows for travel, relocation, housing, or visa-related costs in connection with this fellowship award. Please note that the fellowship stipend and the value of the provided housing may be subject to taxes for both US citizens and non-US citizens in accordance with US tax code.
Email [email protected] and see our Frequently Asked Questions page.
