Janet G. McCloud Travel Scholarship in American Painting

The Janet G. McCloud Travel Scholarship in American Art is available to an undergraduate or graduate student at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities with a demonstrated scholarly commitment to art historical study. The scholarship supports a period of continuous travel in any region(s) of the United States, with the express goal to gain broad exposure to the historical and ongoing practice of artistic painting by American artists. The award recipient will work closely with a faculty mentor to prepare and plan for travel, including: advising in response to the student’s interests, timely exhibition and conference schedules, the availability of external mentors, and a reading list pertaining to the skill of close-looking and why it matters. An ancillary goal of the award is to provide the recipient with opportunities for professional and intellectual networking, for example through introductions to museum curators and gallery directors for expert-led tours. The mission of this award is to serve the larger practice of art-based inquiry by providing the recipient with vital access to major collections in the United States. It is in keeping with art history’s methodological investment in immersive, in-person examination of artworks as the first and most important site of visual training, aesthetic analysis, and study.

$5,000 scholarship award to be disbursed in June 2022 to fund travel between June 1 - October 1, 2022.

This award is open to both undergraduate students with a declared major or minor in Art History (including graduating seniors; and including minors in museum and curatorial studies), and graduate students enrolled in the Art History PhD program. It is the awardee’s responsibility to check with OneStop to see if receiving this funding would cause them to be over-awarded (based on any other scholarships awarded or loans taken out). 

The selection committee will favor applicants who can demonstrate ongoing commitment to in-person object study, particularly as it pertains specifically to painting. While past experience in the field of American art is a benefit, this scholarship is not intended only for specialists in U.S. art and visual/material culture. It is appropriate for students pursuing careers such as: art teachers, art therapists, art writers, artists, appraisers, conservators, curators, dealers, registrars, or art history professors.

Deadline: April 15, 2022

Application:

• Statement of purpose, outlining: past experience in art history and the arts; scholarly or professional trajectory; goals for the proposed travel
• Preliminary proposed itinerary of destination(s) in the U.S. (including names of both cities and collections, with indication of past visits to these sites)
• Name of one UMN faculty member who can serve as your reference 
• Unofficial transcripts 

Application: Please submit your materials through this Google Form: https://z.umn.edu/mccloud

Questions? Contact Jennifer Marshall: marsh590@umn.edu, Professor of American Art and Chair of the Art History Department