Kress Foundation History of Art Institutional Fellowships

The Samuel H. Kress Foundation devotes its resources to advancing the study, conservation, and enjoyment of the vast heritage of European art, architecture, and archaeology from antiquity to the early 19th century. We support the work of individuals and institutions engaged with the appreciation, interpretation, preservation, study and teaching of the history of European art and architecture from antiquity to the dawn of the modern era. We make grants in defined program areas and offer professional development fellowships for historians of art and architecture, art conservators, art museum curators and educators, and art librarians. Advanced training in European art history requires direct exposure to the object of study, prolonged access to key information resources such as libraries and photographic archives, the development of professional relationships with colleagues abroad, and sustained immersion in European cultures. Six pre-doctoral Kress Institutional Fellowships in the History of European Art will be awarded each year. Fellowships are restricted to pre-doctoral candidates in the history of art and related disciplines (such as archaeology, architecture, or classics). Dissertation research must focus on European art from antiquity to the early 19th century. Beginning 2026, six pre-doctoral Kress Institutional Fellowships in the History of European Art will be awarded every other year. The Kress Foundation is not receiving applications for these fellowships in 2025. Each fellowship provides a two-year research appointment hosted by one of the following European art history research centers: Florence Kunsthistorisches Institut / Institute for Art History; Leiden Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society (LUCAS); London Courtauld Institute of Art and Warburg Institute (jointly administered); Munich Zentralinstitut fur Kunstgeschichte / Central Institute for Art History; Paris Institut national d'histoire de l'art (INHA) / National Institute for the History of Art; Rome Bibliotheca Hertziana. The fellowship award is $30,000 per annum. Beginning Fall 2026, the fellowship award will be increased to $45,000 per annum. Eligibility: Restricted to pre-doctoral candidates in the history of art and related disciplines (such as archaeology, architecture, or classics). Nominees must be U.S. citizens or individuals matriculated at an American university. Dissertation research must focus on European art from antiquity to the early 19th century and applicants must be ABD by the time their fellowship begins. Candidates must be nominated by their academic department. Each nomination should be formally confirmed in a letter of recommendation from the department chair. Each university is limited to two (2) nominees per academic department. The nominees must be applying for different research centers. Deadline: The Kress Foundation is not receiving applications for these fellowships in 2025. Applications will next be considered in November 2026, for fellowships beginning the 2027-2028 academic year. Inquiries: info@kressfoundation.org. Application Requirements: Language proficiency list; confirmation that applicant is ABD; summary of the proposed dissertation research project (15,000 characters); description of the proposed research plan (9,000 characters); description of the work completed on the dissertation (3,000 characters); description of any previous research and travel experience abroad (6,000 characters); annotated bibliography (maximum five pages); budget indicating the major anticipated expenses; curriculum vitae; official transcript from current university; three (3) letters of recommendation (Department Chair, Dissertation Advisor, and one additional Scholar).