The knowledge of artists and makers are critical to the study of clothing, craft, and culture. But there is a perceived divide between “practice” and “scholarship,” and those whose work is primarily non-textual are often left on the margins of academic conversations.
Here is a list of a few organizations who are open to (or even eager to) welcoming artists and makers to their scholarly programs. Many of these programs support research in their archival collections. For more information, please contact their program coordinators—they are generally very eager to support artists in their applications!
Hover over the list below for links to more information:
- American Antiquarian Society Fellowships for Creative and Performing Artists and Writers
- Center for Craft Grants and Fellowships for Artists, Researchers, and Scholars
- Fulbright Scholar Program: Awards for Artists & Professionals
- Huntington Library: Alan Jutzi Residential Fellowship for Non-Traditional Scholars
- Mount Vernon: Washington Library Research Fellowships
- Winterthur Library’s Maker-Creator Fellowships
If you are an artist/maker teaching in an academic institution, you may be perplexed by the “MFA / PhD Divide,” which may result in different expectations of publications, teaching, and service. One thing you can do to make yourself more legible to your institution is to translate your “artist resume” into an “academic CV.”
For academic advising for artists, designers, and makers in academia: www.thresholdadvising.com