ARIAH logo

Association of Research Institutes in Art History

East Asia Fellowship Program

 

The Association of Research Institutes in Art History (ARIAH) is a consortium of 27 museums and research centers based in North America. ARIAH’s goal is to promote scholarship in art history and to foster intellectual exchange among art historians from different parts of the world. In pursuit of that goal, ARIAH has established a fellowship program that will enable scholars from countries in East Asia to conduct research at an ARIAH member institute on any topic in the visual arts. Funding for the ARIAH East Asia Fellowship Program comes from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Getty Foundation, and the Terra Foundation for American Art.

Structure
The ARIAH East Asia Fellowship Program offers four fellowships per year over a three-year period beginning in 2016. Each fellowship brings a scholar to one ARIAH institute (the “host institute”) for a two-month residence. During a subsequent one to two months, scholars can visit and conduct research at other ARIAH institutions and nonmember institutions. The host institute assists in planning the scholar’s research travel, which is supported by the fellowship up to a determined limit.

One fellowship per year (supported specifically by the Terra Foundation for American Art) is offered for research on topics related to the art of the United States before 1980. Topics for all other fellowships is open, as long as they can be supported by research on the collections of the host institute.

Award
Fellowships cover the cost of international travel, lodging, other living expenses, health insurance, and research travel within North America (or between North America and Europe). Specific details of the award, including the overall sum, vary according to the policies of the host institutions.

Eligibility
The fellowship is open to scholars from East Asia, as defined by the United Nations to include Japan, Mongolia, People’s Republic of China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Republic of China (Taiwan), and South Korea, working in any area related to ARIAH member institutes’ collections and libraries. Applicants should hold an advanced degree and/or demonstrate a record of scholarly achievement. Candidates may be affiliated with research institutes, universities, or museums, or be working independently. Competence in English language, especially spoken, is an essential requirement, as fellows must be prepared to travel alone without translators or escorts. Preference will be given to early and mid-career professionals and to those who have not previously had significant opportunity to study in North America or Europe. Specialists in all fields related to the visual arts are encouraged to apply and will be asked to identify their preferred host institute.

Application and selection process
Fellowships are awarded through a competitive application process. Candidates must apply online at https://ariah.slideroom.com/#/permalink/program/37481. As part of the application, candidates are to indicate their preference for a host institutions from among ARIAH’s 27 members and identify how the collections of that institution will support their research. Applications are evaluated by representatives of ARIAH member institutions and by academic specialists. A small number of finalists are invited to participate in telephone interviews. Host institutes have the opportunity to approve each appointment.

Deadline for applications is January 31, 2018. ARIAH will notify awardees by April 1, 2018. Fellowships may begin no earlier than September 1, 2018, and must be completed by August 31, 2019.

For more information, contact ea-fellowship@ariah.info.

Funders

MELLON logo

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation endeavors to strengthen, promote, and, where necessary, defend the contributions of the humanities and the arts to human flourishing and to the well-being of diverse and democratic societies. To this end, it supports exemplary institutions of higher education and culture as they renew and provide access to an invaluable heritage of ambitious, path-breaking work. The Foundation makes grants in five core program areas: Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities; Arts and Cultural Heritage; Diversity; Scholarly Communications; and International Higher Education and Strategic Projects.

GETTY logo

The Getty Foundation fulfills the philanthropic mission of the Getty Trust by supporting individuals and institutions committed to advancing the greater understanding and preservation of the visual arts in Los Angeles and throughout the world. Through strategic grant initiatives, it strengthens art history as a global discipline, promotes the interdisciplinary practice of conservation, increases access to museum and archival collections, and develops current and future leaders in the visual arts. It carries out its work in collaboration with the other Getty Programs to ensure that they individually and collectively achieve maximum effect.

TERRA logo

The Terra Foundation for American Art is dedicated to fostering exploration, understanding, and enjoyment of the visual arts of the United States for national and international audiences. Recognizing the importance of experiencing original works of art, the foundation provides opportunities for interaction and study, beginning with the presentation and growth of its own art collection in Chicago. To further cross-cultural dialogue on American art, the foundation supports and collaborates on innovative exhibitions, research, and educational programs. Implicit in such activities is the belief that art has the potential both to distinguish cultures and to unite them.