OPEN CALL: Applications for Curatorial Research Fellowships

Independent Curators International (ICI) is now accepting applications for the 2022 Curatorial Research Fellowships, made possible in part by the Marian Goodman Gallery Initiative in honor of the late Okwui Enwezor. ICI Fellowships focus on promoting experimentation, collaboration, and international engagement in the field. They support early-to-mid-career curators to advance their practice and develop new knowledge in contemporary art through research, travel, and the development of professional networks.

Conceived to foster independent research, ICI’s Curatorial Research Fellowships offer a framework tailored to each curator’s field of critical inquiry. The fellows will receive financial support, mentorship specific to their research interests, and, whenever possible, the opportunity to travel. They will have access to ICI’s international networks of collaborators and programs to create opportunities for continued learning.

This year, ICI is offering four Fellowship opportunities:

–Curatorial Research Fellowships for BIPOC curators based in the US, under the Marian Goodman Gallery Initiative in honor of the late Okwui Enwezor
–Curatorial Research Fellowships for curators of African descent based anywhere in the world, under the Marian Goodman Gallery Initiative in honor of the late Okwui Enwezor
–Indigenous Curatorial Research Fellowship for Indigenous curators based in the US
–Mississippi River Basin Curatorial Research Fellowships for curators focusing on curatorial and artistic practices and alternative histories of the region defined by the Mississippi River

Eligibility: Early-to-mid-career curators (5+ years of experience working with contemporary artists), independent or with institutional affiliations, may apply. Fellowship duration is seven months, between June and December 2022. Fellows may be based anywhere and will receive regular mentorship sessions virtually. Candidates may apply to multiple Fellowships, pending their eligibility.

Applications: Applications should be submitted via ICI’s application portal by Tuesday, April 5, 2022 at midnight EDT. To complete your application, please submit:

–One-sentence proposal summary (40 words max)
–Description of proposed curatorial research. Should include goals and proposed process, including but not limited to any travel plans, resources you would like to access, and/or mentorship you are seeking (500 words max)
–Description of the relevance of the project to the field (200 words max)
–Description of how the Fellowship will impact the applicant’s practice (200 words max)
–Bio (250 words max)

Applications may be submitted in English, French, Spanish, or Portuguese, but a working knowledge of English is necessary for participation in the Fellowships, which are conducted in English.

For more information, visit ICI’s website or contact ICI’s Programs Coordinator, Zoe Dobuler, at zoe@curatorsintl.org.