Exploratory Travel Award - Spring

The Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation offers an Exploratory Travel Award of up to $5,000 for early-career students enrolled in an accredited PhD program in art history, history, architectural history, religion, or a related field. The travel grant supports those planning travels of 1-2 months in Latin America to visit archives, museums, and art collections and connect with local scholars. Students who are interested in the study of the Art of the Spanish Americas are encouraged to apply, with special consideration for projects specific to the history of painting and sculpture in viceregal South America. The award helps students develop viable and innovative research projects for future application to pre-doctoral fellowships, including the Marilynn Thoma Pre-doctoral Fellowship in Art of the Spanish Americas. Individuals in Europe and Latin America, where comparable sources of external funding are less available, are strongly encouraged to apply. Application deadline: January 15, 2026. Funds are disbursed within six weeks of the deadline; travel must commence within six months of the award. Application materials include a CV, a letter of recommendation from the PhD supervisor, a project description of up to 1200 words plus a 1-page bibliography, and a 1-page travel budget (maximum $5,000). Students whose institutions offer similar preliminary travel funding are not eligible.