Organizer Information
The Image Centre (IMC), based in Toronto, Canada, is a leading institution dedicated to photography and visual culture. Since 2014, IMC has offered research fellowships that allow artists and scholars to study its extensive photography collections firsthand. These include the Black Star Collection, Edward Burtynsky Collection, Braun-Epstein Collection, and archives of notable photographers such as Wendy Snyder MacNeil and Berenice Abbott. IMC supports innovative research and artistic practices in photography through its fellowship programs.
Title & Description
The Image Centre Research Fellowships 2026
The 2026 fellowship program offers five competitive fellowships designed for research in photography. Opportunities include examining historical, fine art, and photojournalistic collections, supporting both scholarly and artistic investigations. Each fellowship targets different levels of academic and artistic experience—from undergraduate artists to postdoctoral researchers—and allows fellows to engage deeply with the collections in a research-focused residency. Fellows are expected to conduct on-site research, propose original methodologies, and, in some cases, produce creative outputs informed by the archives.
Categories
Visual Art, Photography, Artistic Research, Academic Research
Eligibility
- Canadian and international applicants
- Specific fellowships have education or career-level requirements:
- Nadir Mohamed Postdoctoral Fellowship: PhD holders
- Penny Rubinoff Fellowship: Master’s holders or PhD candidates (not postdoctoral)
- Elaine Ling Fellowship: Recent Master’s graduates or candidates
- Howard Tanenbaum Fellowship: Artists or researchers of any educational background
- Wendy Snyder MacNeil Fellowship: Undergraduate or photo-based artists
Program Benefits & Awards
- Stipends ranging from CAD $2,500 to $10,000 for travel, research, and related expenses
- Access to IMC’s extensive photography collections and Toronto Metropolitan University Archives
- Opportunity to work on-site for 1–6 weeks (depending on fellowship)
- Mentorship and guidance from IMC staff
- Support for creative and scholarly outputs (note: some fellowships do not include production lab access)
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Project proposal (~1,000 words) detailing subject, originality, methodology, and use of collections
- Curriculum Vitae
- One sample of written work (max 20 pages)
- Letters of reference
How to Apply?
Submit all materials via email to: imagecentre.research@torontomu.ca
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 15 March 2026
- Fellowship Period: July 1, 2026 – January 15, 2027
Location
Toronto, Canada (on-site research)
Additional Details
- Applicants must specify the fellowship they are applying for in the first line of their proposal
- Discussions with the IMC Research Program Coordinator are encouraged for Howard Tanenbaum Fellowship applicants
- Past winners may not reapply for five years