General

What is the length of time for an Arts Research with Communities of Color (ARCC) fellowship?
The fellowship term is 12 months. Fellows may begin their work any time between May and August 2023.

What is the expected time commitment for fellows?
The fellowship requires full-time commitment for the fellowship year, and prospective fellows will be expected to commit an average of 35 hours per week for the year of the fellowship.

What are the expected research outputs?
It is expected that the research will yield outputs for both academic audiences and for use by the organization they are matched with. These outputs will include but are not limited to ethnographic insights about each community arts organization for both public-facing and scholarly audiences and contributions to a cross-case analysis as part of an edited scholarly volume in collaboration with the program’s Research Advisory Committee.

What do you mean by “arts organization of color”?
For the purposes of this program, the term arts organizations of color describes organizations that were founded by and for communities of color. We recognize the contested and complex nature of such umbrella terms, and that no single term can truly represent the diversity of arts organizations that serve communities of color, including those that identify as Black, Indigenous, Middle Eastern and Arab American, Latinx, and Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. We also recognize the complexity of and diversity within these communities.

Selections for the specific arts organizations that are participating in this initiative have concluded. For more information on that process, including selection criteria, please visit the Wallace Foundation website. You may read about the 18 selected arts organizations in the Wallace Foundation press release.

Selected fellows will work with one of the following organizations:
Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, San Antonio, TX
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, San Juan, Puerto Rico

How is this fellowship connected to the work of the Wallace Foundation?
The ARCC fellowship program serves as one of several research studies supported by the Wallace Foundation over the course of its five-year initiative focused on arts organizations of color. ARCC fellows will thus form part of the initiative’s broader Research Learning Community and will have opportunities to interact with researchers from other studies over the course of the fellowship period.

Eligibility

Is there a degree requirement?
Yes. Applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent terminal degree in a related field, including but not limited to anthropology, sociology, history, arts administration, political science, or art history.  Degrees need not come from a US academic institution.

Is there a citizenship requirement?
The ARCC fellowship has no citizenship requirements. However, fellows must be authorized to legally work in the United States during the fellowship period. Please note that neither SSRC nor participating arts organizations nor the Wallace Foundation can sponsor applicants for visas.

What is meant by “early-career researcher”?
For the purposes of this fellowship, an early-career researcher is someone whose terminal degree was confirmed between January 2017 and May 2023.

Do fellows need to be affiliated with an academic institution?
Fellows do not need to hold an affiliation at an academic institution.

Am I eligible to apply if I have previously received funding from the SSRC?
Yes, previous recipients of SSRC funding are eligible to apply.

Application Process

Do I need to complete the application in one sitting?
No. You may return to the application as many times as needed until the application deadline. Please remember to save your work as you complete each section of the application and note that once applications are submitted, they cannot be altered.

Do I need to submit my application in English?
Yes. The online application form and all required documents should be completed in English.

May I submit my application by fax or email?
No. Applications should be submitted via the online application portal only.

How can I find out whether the program has received my application?
You will receive an automated email from the SSRC confirming submission of your application.

Application Components

What materials are required for this application?
Applicants must submit an online application form, a letter of interest (no more than two pages, single-spaced, 11 pt font), and a current CV summary (two pages).


What should my letter of interest include?
Letters of interest should address the following questions:

  • Why are you interested in applying to this fellowship?
  • How would this fellowship fit into your broader career trajectory?
  • What is the nature of your prior experience with ethnographic research and/or in arts or community-serving organizations of color?
  • Which community/ies do you consider yourself to be embedded in or culturally, linguistically, and/or regionally familiar with?
  • How do you see your research as related to both understanding and addressing social justice issues, particularly in relation to community organizations of color?
  • Which of the two participating community arts organizations are you most interested in working with? Why are you drawn to this particular organization? What makes you well-suited to collaborate with the organization?

What should my CV summary include?
Applicants’ CV summaries should include the following details: education and employment history, relevant research experience, honors and awards, professional affiliations, language skills, and a list of no more than five relevant publications.

Awarding of Grants

What is the selection procedure?
Submissions will be reviewed by an independent selection panel.  Applications will be evaluated based on applicants’ fit with the specific participating arts organizations, in addition to their research and practical experience, community and cultural experience, and commitment to the goals of the program, including equity and impact. Successful applicants will be invited to a finalist round interview with the relevant community arts organization.

How will I know if I have made it to the next stage of the selection process?
All applicants will be notified about the outcome of their application by email.

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