Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship (SARF)

Background:

The Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship (SARF) program was launched in 2007 to provide accomplished visual artists from across the world a unique opportunity to work with Smithsonian museums, research sites, collections, and scholars, conducting research that inspires new work. SARF Fellows spend one month in residence at the Smithsonian immersed in its unparalleled collections and multidisciplinary scholarly expertise, building connections between art, science, history, and culture. The program embodies the depth and breadth of the Smithsonian.

Purpose:

This unique residency offers creative collaboration in a dynamic environment. It brings together Smithsonian scholars and distinguished visual artists from a variety of disciplines throughout the United States and abroad to explore cross-disciplinary connections. It allows the Smithsonian a unique opportunity to see the collections and resources in different ways. It inspires new directions and creative expression for both artists and Smithsonian staff. It strengthens the arts community within the Smithsonian and broadens public interest in and understanding of contemporary art. SARF awards are explicitly for artist research and are not intended for the creation or exhibition of artwork. Consequently, studio space is not provided. Consequently, studio space is not provided.

How to apply

To be considered for the program, candidates must successfully move through three phases:

• Nomination: An artist must be nominated; nominations may be sought from qualifying research staff that would also serve as project advisors

• Official Invitation: Once the nomination window closes, the Smithsonian Office of Academic Appointments and Internships (OAAI) emails official application instructions and guidelines directly to the nominees.

• Final Proposal: Nominated artists must then submit a detailed research proposal that clearly outlines how Smithsonian-specific collections will be utilized and who will serve as the research advisor.

• Eligible to nominate: Artists can be nominated by Smithsonian research staff, previous and current SARF artists, and art professionals worldwide, who are invited by the SARF committee to nominate. If artists are seeking a nomination from Smithsonian research staff, they should approach the person who would also be best positioned and proposed to advise on the project.

• Restriction: All nominators are limited to one nomination.

• Ineligible to nominate: Smithsonian contractors, predoctoral or postdoctoral fellows, and interns cannot make nominations.

• Target Group: Established and mid-career visual artists.

• Track Record: Must have a strong, demonstrated exhibition history that shows progress beyond their home region.

• Exclusions: Students currently enrolled in a degree program, Smithsonian employees, or Smithsonian contractors are not eligible.

• Nationality: Open to both United States citizens and foreign nationals.

• Language: Proficiency in written and spoken English.

• Research advisors: Artists are responsible for securing a Smithsonian advisor whose research relates to their proposed research project.

• Online resources: A list of Smithsonian research staff can be found through Smithsonian Opportunities for Research and Study (SORS).

• Duration: 1-month residency

• Stipend: $5000 for the residency period

• Allowances: The fellowship includes a travel allowance, if an artist is not local, based on one round-trip to and from their Smithsonian research location. Any additional travel expenses are the Fellow’s responsibility.

• Term: Tenure dates at the Smithsonian must be completed between July 1, 2027 and May 31, 2028. The month-long residency should be completed in one visit but may be divided into two visits under exceptional circumstances and with advisor approval.

• Requirement: Fellows must spend their Fellowships in residence at the Smithsonian conducting research with Smithsonian staff and using Smithsonian resources following a project schedule agreed to by the Smithsonian advisor(s).

• Living Space: Fellows must secure their own housing.

• Studio Space: No studio space is provided as part of the fellowship.

• Role: Distributes the invitations to apply to nominated artists and handles the official registration, processing, and distribution of appointment letters.

• Stipend & Funding Coordination: Oversees the management of centralized fellowship funds and administers stipends.

• Outside of scope: OAAI staff will not provide assistance to artists to identify research advisors and will not review applications for completeness.

• Members: Curators of art, culture, and design from across the Smithsonian.

• Nominate: Identify and nominate artists and invite art professionals to serve as nominators.

• Evaluate: Review all applications and recommend the final selection of fellows.

• Review Criteria: Applications must meet eligibility criteria, and proposed projects must be innovative, feasible, and use Smithsonian-specific collections, resources, scholars, and/or locations.

• Completeness: Must be clear, complete, and received by deadline. Incomplete applications, or those with broken links or links inaccessible to reviewers will not be considered.

• Terms: Selected candidates receive an award letter from OAAI with the tenure dates, stipend amount, and any allowances.

• Acceptance Deadline: Award letters specify a deadline to accept the Fellowship. If a candidate does not respond by this date, the offer is automatically considered declined.

The SARF committee and OAAI will host a zoom meeting with nominated artists to provide information about how to navigate the Smithsonian Online Academic Appointment system (SOLAA) to complete an application.

The SARF committee will host a welcome zoom meeting for all artists selected for the program to provide guidance and answer questions as they prepare for their tenure.

• Nomination Deadline: Thursday, October 15, 2026 (11:59 pm EST)

• Application Deadline: Thursday, January 28, 2027 (4:59 pm EST)

Click here to view a list of past Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship Recipients.

F A Qs

How can I secure a nomination?

If you are seeking a nomination, you will need to find a Smithsonian research staff member in the Smithsonian Opportunities for Research and Study (SORS) whose research relates to the research you want to conduct at the Smithsonian. You need to reach out to the Smithsonian researcher and ask to be nominated and if they can serve as advisor; if not, determine whether another viable SI research staff could be available for that role. It is highly recommended that you identify an available advisor at the same time as the nomination, or otherwise strong proposals may not succeed due to limited availability/feasibility on the advisor/collection side.

As a nominator how many artists can I nominate?

Each nominator may nominate up to one (1) artist

Can a group of artists who collaborate together apply for this fellowship?

Collaborative groups of artists with a single research proposal are encouraged to apply and have been awarded in the past. The group needs to find a Smithsonian research staff member in the Smithsonian Opportunities for Research and Study (SORS) whose research relates to the artistic group’s single research proposal. Like individual artists, the group needs to reach out to the Smithsonian researcher and secure a nomination in order to apply.

I have left several messages for a Smithsonian research staff member whose research relates to the research I want to conduct at the Smithsonian, but s/he hasn’t responded. What should I do?

If you have left at least two messages for a Smithsonian staff researcher and have not heard back, you should assume they are not able to nominate you. This can be because the staff person is on leave or the collection you want to research is unavailable. You should try and find another staff member whose research relates to the research you want to conduct at the Smithsonian to nominate you. If there is no other staff member whose research relates to the research you want to conduct at the Smithsonian, then you should try securing a nomination the following year.

I have been unable to secure a nomination prior to the deadline. What are my options?

You should consider trying to secure a nomination the following year. Incomplete nominations, nominations sent after the deadline, and nominations with incorrect email addresses will not be accepted.

How many references do I need when filling out the SARF application in SOLAA?

You will need the name and email address of two individuals, at least one of whom should be a professional art expert.

How do I ensure my references received the survey?

Once you enter both references into the application, you must select the option to send the survey to the references (click Send Email). Applicants are responsible for tracking their two references and ensuring that the references are submitted by the application deadline.

How many work samples can I submit?

Please provide a single URL linking to your work samples. The URL must be active and accessible, without requiring special permissions.You may submit up to 10 image samples of your artwork. For audio or video submissions, you may submit up to 3 samples, with each sample no longer than 5 minutes in length.

When providing specific art samples on my application, which format is best to use?

Any functioning URL that links to samples of your artwork is acceptable. There is no preferred URL. Do not try to pack multiple projects or texts onto a single page or slide and count it as one sample.

What if my research involves the use of live animals?

Please mark on your application that live animals will be involved in your research. If your proposal is accepted, the committee and your advisor will determine the extent of your involvement with live animals and if specific training is required.

How many SARF Fellows are selected each year?

There is no fixed number of Fellows selected each year as funding varies.

Who selects those awarded for SARF Fellowships?

Applications are reviewed and artists selected by members of the SARF Committee. The committee is composed of curators of art, culture, and design from across the Smithsonian.

I was not selected for a SARF Fellowship. Can I get feedback on why I was not selected?

The Smithsonian is unable to provide SARF applicants with individual feedback about their proposals.

If I am accepted for a SARF Fellowship, when will I need to start the fellowship?

Awards are not official until each selected applicant receives an official award letter from the Smithsonian’s Office of Academic Appointments and Internships. This award letter lists all the details of each fellowship (e.g., exact dates of tenure, the amount of the stipend, any allowances, how the fellow will be paid, etc.)

How are SARF Fellowships scheduled?

In the proposal phase, fellows should have indicated windows of availability for their month-long residency. Once awarded, they should be in touch with their primary advisor to confirm which dates might work for both, and then reach out to any other co-advisors, consultants and collections they aim to access to make a preliminary schedule that works across the board. At that point, the Fellow give their proposed dates to OAAI to include in the official appointment paperwork. Artists are responsible for keeping and coordinating their schedules onsite.

Are SARF Fellows given studio space?

SARF fellowships are explicitly for artist research and are not intended for the creation or exhibition of artwork. Consequently, studio space is not provided.

Are SARF Fellows given housing?

Smithsonian Artist Research Fellows must secure their own housing. The stipend is intended to help defray living costs (housing, local transportation, food).

NOTE: Any Fellows coming to DC and searching for housing should use extreme caution when sending money to a third party for housing deposits.

If I am accepted I will need to break my tenure up into multiple visits to the Smithsonian. Does a travel allowance cover all my trips?

The fellowship includes a travel allowance, if an artist is not local, based on one round-trip to and from their Smithsonian research location. The fellow is responsible for all further travel costs. The month-long residency should be completed in one visit but may be divided into two visits under exceptional circumstances and with advisor approval.

Office of Academic Appointments and Internships E-mail: InternsAndFellows@si.edu

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