Organizer Information
The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM), part of the Smithsonian Institution, is a major U.S. museum dedicated to American art and visual culture. The museum’s research facilities and collections provide scholars with access to artworks, archives, libraries, and specialist expertise. The Audrey Flack Short-Term Fellowship is designed to support focused research in American art while honoring the legacy of Audrey Flack (1931–2024), an internationally recognized painter, sculptor, printmaker, and leading figure in photorealism.
Title & Description
Audrey Flack Short-Term Fellowship 2027
The Audrey Flack Short-Term Fellowship is an annual research fellowship supporting a one-month (30-day) residency at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. The fellowship is intended for scholars researching topics in American art who need access to SAAM’s collections, archives, staff expertise, or other Smithsonian research resources.
Projects requiring access to SAAM collections and staff expertise receive priority, although proposals using other Smithsonian resources are also eligible. Applicants must explain why a short-term fellowship is particularly appropriate for their circumstances, including financial, employment, caregiving, or other limitations that make a longer residency difficult.
Categories
- Visual Art Research
- American Art
- Art History
- Museum and Collection Research
- Archives and Scholarly Research
- Interdisciplinary Research
Eligibility
The fellowship is open internationally to predoctoral, postdoctoral, and senior scholars researching American art. Applicants must reside, work, or attend school outside commuting distance from Washington, D.C.
Applicants from all backgrounds and lived experiences are welcome. Those whose native language is not English must be able to write and converse fluently in English, and all application materials must be submitted in English.
Applicants must also provide a statement explaining the rationale for pursuing a short-term fellowship. Smithsonian employees and contractors are generally ineligible during their employment or contract period and must observe the required separation period unless prior approval is obtained.
Researchers working with Indigenous communities should explain the status of consultation or collaboration with relevant artists, estates, knowledge holders, and communities.
Program Benefits & Awards
- $5,000 stipend
- $100–$1,000 travel allowance to support relocation to Washington, D.C.
- A 30-day research residency
- Smithsonian identification badge
- Dedicated study carrel in SAAM’s Research and Scholars Center
- Access to SAAM collections, archives, library resources, and relevant staff expertise
- Opportunities to interact with other SAAM fellows
- Access to lunchtime seminars and professional development events
- Optional online programming during the fellowship year
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Applications Open: 1 December 2026
- Application Deadline: 1 February 2027
- Residency period: June 1, 2027 – May 31, 2028
- Residency duration: 30 days
The fellowship is awarded annually to one researcher.
Location
Washington, D.C., United States
Additional Details
Applicants should begin preparing their proposals well before the deadline. Research involving Indigenous communities requires particular attention to consultation, collaboration, and accountability to relevant rights holders. A letter of support from a tribal community member, knowledge holder, artist, or artist’s estate may strengthen such a proposal. Researchers seeking access to sacred, ceremonial, or culturally sensitive Smithsonian materials must provide proof of authorization from an appropriate tribal official before accessing those materials.
Questions about the fellowship can be directed to SAAMFellowships@si.edu.