2026 Call for Proposals

The Institute for Studies on Latin American Art (ISLAA) is pleased to announce its 2026 Call for Fellowships, offering two distinct opportunities to support research and scholarship in Latin American art.

These fellowships reflect ISLAA’s ongoing commitment to expanding scholarship, fostering dialogue, and promoting access to knowledge in modern and contemporary art and visual culture from Latin America, the Caribbean, and their diasporas. The program supports projects that contribute to graduate theses, academic publications, and conference presentations.

All fellowships will take place at ISLAA’s headquarters in New York City, located at 142 Franklin Street in Tribeca, during the academic year from September 2026 through June 2027.

ISLAA Research Fellowship

For graduate students based in the United States

The ISLAA Research Fellowship supports MA and PhD students enrolled in graduate programs in the United States. Providing resources and a $2,500 stipend to advance innovative research, this fellowship offers direct, in-person access to ISLAA’s extensive archival collections and more than 1,000 artist files.

Five fellowships will be awarded: two in Fall 2026, two in Spring 2027, and one in Summer 2027.

Research must contribute to a master’s thesis, doctoral dissertation, peer-reviewed publication, or conference presentation. Fellows must be physically present at ISLAA’s headquarters for 2–4 weeks.

→ Bases and conditions: ISLAA Research Fellowship

ISLAA Latin American Fellowship

Inaugural edition — for researchers based in Latin America

ISLAA launches the inaugural Latin American Fellowship, designed to support researchers from Latin America, enabling them to conduct on-site research and engage directly with ISLAA’s collections, archives, and academic community. Eight fellowships will be awarded across three categories:

• Senior Scholar Fellowships (two) USD 10,000 each | 10+ years of experience, strong peer-reviewed publication record
• Postdoctoral Fellowships (two) USD 7,500 each | PhD received within the past two years
• Doctoral Fellowships (four) USD 5,000 each | Currently enrolled in a Latin American university doctoral program

Applicants must be living in Latin America. Fellows must be physically present at ISLAA’s headquarters for 2–4 weeks.

→ Bases and conditions: ISLAA Latin American Fellowship

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials as separate PDFs to applications@islaa.org:

A cover letter including full name, contact information, institutional affiliation, and
preferred time—if any—for undertaking the fellowship (Fall, Spring, or Summer).

A research proposal abstract: 350-words
Candidates must provide a research proposal abstract in English that demonstrates their
interest and research experience related to the archival collection and explains how it relates
to their broader research goals. They must elaborate on how their research on this collection
could help contribute toward future writing projects (please mention project title), including
theses, dissertations, articles, presentations at conferences, or books.
Candidates must have knowledge of the context and background of the archival collection as
well as research and writing experience on the topic. Additionally, candidates must be able
to read competently in the languages of their selected archival collection.

A CV: 1-page
Candidates must also provide a CV relates to the candidate’s interests and expertise in art
history.

A research committee will review the proposal and make a decision based on its originality,
the project, the candidate’s experience, and calendar availability. Only complete applications
will be considered, and individual feedback will not be provided. Once a candidate is
selected, the decision will be irrevocable. ISLAA must be acknowledged in all work resulting
from research in its collections. The fellowship will only take effect once the selected
candidate has completed all required legal forms.

Submission deadline: May 15, 2026 (11:59pm EDT)

For questions about the fellowship programs, please contact: applications@islaa.org