Short Description
The fellowship centers around two core components — teaching in the College of Art and producing work for a solo exhibition for the Saint Louis Art Museum’s Currents series. Established in 1986, the Henry L. and Natalie E. Freund Teaching Fellowship promotes the exhibition of contemporary art at the Saint Louis Art Museum, as well as the teaching of art in the Sam Fox School at WashU.
This teaching and exhibition opportunity is a joint project of the College of Art in the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis and the Saint Louis Art Museum. One teaching fellowship will be awarded for fall 2026, followed by a solo exhibition at the Saint Louis Art Museum in fall 2027. Another teaching fellowship will be awarded for fall 2027, followed by a solo exhibition at the Saint Louis Art Museum in fall 2028.
Eligibility
We invite promising visual artists—emerging or mid-career—working in any medium to apply. The fellowship has two components: teaching in the College of Art and producing work for a solo exhibition at the Saint Louis Art Museum, part of its long-standing Currents exhibition series. Applicants must have an MFA and be at least 5 years out of graduate school with exhibition experience. Prior teaching experience is not required, but applicants should have specific ideas about what they would like to teach, given the opportunity.
Submission Requirements
- Resume
- Up to 20 examples of work (see sample details below – multiple page PDF).
- Up to 500-word teaching statement, including the outlines of a class you propose to teach to a classroom full of graduate students and advanced undergrads. Tell us why you are interested in contributing to the Sam Fox School/WashU community. We strive to increase diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in our community. Please address your ability to nurture an inclusive learning environment.
- Up to 500-word artist statement, including the outlines of your imagined solo exhibition at SLAM.
- Three reference contacts (no letters needed at this point)
- Website link (if available).
How to Apply
Online Application
Program Benefits & Awards
Teaching Award: Each fellow is awarded a teaching residency in the fall semester by Washington University and receives $45,000 (inclusive of flights, car rental, lodging, food, and incidentals). Compensation is paid via payroll, with applicable taxes withheld. Foreign national awardees are brought to campus on J-1 visas, and taxes are withheld subject to applicable tax treaties between the United States and their country of residence.
Exhibition Award: The Currents exhibition is supported and organized by the Saint Louis Art Museum. Specific details are worked out during the fall teaching residency.
Entry Fee
None
Location
United States
Timeline
- Application Deadline: 1 September 2025
Website Link: https://samfoxschool.washu.edu/collaborations/freund-teaching-fellowship
