Smithsonian American Art Museum Fellowship Program
Smithsonian American Art Museum Fellowship Program supports scholars with residential research on American art, craft, and visual culture in Smithsonian collections to advance excellence in art history.
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Funder: Smithsonian Institution
Due Dates: October 15, 2026 (SIFP) | October 15, 2026 (Betsy James Wyeth) | February 1, 2027 (Audrey Flack)
Funding Amounts: SIFP: $10,000 for 10 weeks or $45,000–$57,000/year; Betsy James Wyeth: $53,000; Audrey Flack: $5,000 for one month; additional allowances available
Summary: Residential fellowships support full-time research in Smithsonian collections on American art, craft, and visual culture.
Key Information: Applicants must identify a SAAM research staff member as their primary advisor and conduct research onsite in Washington, D.C.
Description
The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) and its Renwick Gallery run the oldest and largest fellowship program in the world for the study of American art. The program welcomes scholars from any discipline researching the art, craft, and visual culture of the United States, particularly work introducing new perspectives, materials, and methodologies. Fellowships support full-time residential research in Smithsonian collections and advance excellence in art history.
SAAM hosts fellows through the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP) and named awards supporting dissertation research, American modern and contemporary art, sculpture, craft, and visual culture. The Betsy James Wyeth Fellowship centers Indigenous methodologies, knowledges, and communities in research on Native art. The Audrey Flack Short-Term Fellowship offers a one-month residency for scholars whose circumstances prevent longer stays.
