CALL FOR FELLOWS
Gilded Age Art & Technology
The Preservation Society of Newport County is now welcoming applications for one-year research fellowships, which will begin on September 1, 2016. Applications for six-month fellowships and sabbaticals will also be considered.
Interested scholars are invited to submit proposals that will utilize Newport’s historic and cultural resources to examine the topic of “Gilded Age Art and Technology”, as it relates to history, culture, design, and/or the arts. By the beginning of WWI, new approaches, new technologies, and new philosophies had radically transformed almost every aspect of American life, forever changing the aesthetic, social, scientific, medical and business worlds of the 19th century. How did Gilded Age developments impact visual culture? The built environment? Textiles? Landscape design? Interiors? Social practices? Approaches towards collecting and museums? What are the lessons and legacies for today?
Topics may include (but are not limited to); architectural history; conservation; horticultural and landscape history and design; social history; art and literature; preservation issues; and technology. Broad interpretations and interdisciplinary approaches to this theme are encouraged.
Fellowship requirements:
An M.A. or Ph.D. in a relevant academic field such as the history of art, architecture or the decorative arts, landscape design history, historic preservation, material culture, literature, cultural geography, history, and public policy as it relates to cultural heritage. Doctoral candidates conducting dissertation research will also be considered. Proven ability to work independently, organize and manage multiple projects and meet rigorous deadlines is necessary, as are strong research, writing, and public speaking skills.
Fellows receive a stipend of $25,000, and housing is available in our newly renovated Elms Scholars Center. All fellows should be prepared to deliver a public presentation of their project at the conclusion of their fellowship.
Previous Fellowships:
Previous fellowships have explored such diverse subjects as post-civil war development in domestic service spaces, 18th century woodwork and paneling, public policy, colonial era coastal archaeology, and costume history, to name just a few.
To Apply:
Step 1: Prepare Materials
- Application form: Complete the attached application form (also available at NewportMansions.org).
- Project proposal: Please provide an abstract (250-500 words) describing your project, the work you plan to undertake in Newport and the surrounding area, and identifying specific resources in local institutions and/or repositories that will inform your work.
- Vita: Please provide a copy of your current curriculum vitae.
- References: Please provide two letters of reference from scholars or advisors who are familiar with your work.
Step 2: Submit Materials
- Reference letters: Please instruct your reference writers to submit their letters via email to fellowships@NewportMansions.org. The email subject should include your last name and the word “reference”
- Application: E-mail your complete application, including application form, essay, and vita to fellowships@NewportMansions.org. Please put your name in the subject line.
The deadline for submission of materials is April 1, 2016. After reviewing all applications, fellowship finalists will be selected for in-person or telephone interviews.
Download Form Here