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Academic Program Guidelines

The Terra Foundation for American Art actively supports projects that encourage international scholarship on American art topics, as well as scholarly projects with focused theses that explore American art in an international context.

Eligibility: The foundation only accepts proposals from institutions with United States 501(c)(3) status or the international equivalent. Grants are not made to individuals.

Academic funding is available for symposia, colloquia, and scholarly convenings on American art that take place:

• In Chicago or outside the United States
• In the United States that examine American art within an international context and/or include a significant number of international participants

Terra Foundation Academic Initiatives include the following American art residencies and fellowships:

• Terra Summer Residency
• Terra Research and Travel Grants 
• Terra Foundation for American Art Fellowships at the Smithsonian American Art Museum 
• Terra Foundation for American Art Teaching Fellowships and Visiting Professorships at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London; the Institut National d'Histoire de l'Art in Paris; John F. Kennedy Institut, Freie Universität in Berlin.
• Terra Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship in American Art 1600–1950 at Northwestern University
• Terra Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship in pre–1945 American Art at the University of Chicago

The Terra Foundation does not accept proposals for:

• Fellowship programs
• Research databases
• Programs primarily designed for non-academic audiences
• Capital expenditures

Deadlines

Academic and Public Program
Letter of Inquiry        Proposal                   Board Meeting
May 3, 2010             July 19, 2010            Fall 2010
November 1, 2010    January 10, 2011       Spring 2011
February 7, 2011      April 4, 2011              Summer 2011
September 1, 2011   October 14, 2011       Winter 2012

Download a copy of the Academic Programs Application Form

If the foundation responds to a letter of inquiry by requesting a proposal, the organization applying for a grant will be expected to complete the attached application.

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