Folger Long-term Public Humanities Fellowships
Folger Institute Long-term Public Humanities Fellowships, new for the 2025-26 year, are designed to support significant, full-time research and public humanities project implementation related to the histories, concepts, art, and objects of the early modern world (ca. 1400-1800) and its legacies. This fellowship is open to college and university faculty, independent scholars, artists, public scholars, writers, PhD candidates, postdocs, community leaders, cultural workers, educators and other knowledge holders. Applicants are not required to hold a terminal degree but should describe their equivalent training and industry-specific experience in their CV.
For the 2025-26 year, the Folger Institute will offer one Long-term Public Humanities Fellowship at $70,000 for a standard period of 9 months (approximately $7,777 per month).
Learn more about public humanities at the Folger
For more information
Ashley Buchanan
Associate Director for Fellowships
abuchanan@folger.edu
(202) 675-0348
Leah Thomas
Public Humanities Program Manager
lthomas@folger.edu
Fellowship Requirements
The successful applicant will draw on the strengths of the Folger’s collections, exhibitions, and programming themes to devote 75% of their residency to research and 25% to implementing public humanities engagement for Folger audiences, in cooperation with Folger Institute staff. This can include–but is not limited to–onsite or virtual programs such as readings, talks, videos, podcasts, workshops, community activations, and performances, as well as digital humanities work hosted on non-Folger platforms such as games, interactives, and online resources. In their fellowship application, applicants must propose and detail one type of public humanities engagement they will develop and implement to take place during each of the Folger’s four program seasons:
- Summer 2025: July 1 to August 31
- Fall 2025: September 1 to November 30
- Winter 2026: December 1 to February 28
- Spring 2026: March 1 to May 30
Please note that the Folger will not acquire or archive any materials, physical or digital, resulting from the Public Humanities Fellowship for our collections at this time.
Long-term public humanities fellows can take up to 3 months of their 9-month fellowship virtually. This virtual time may be taken at any point in the fellowship and does not have to be taken concurrently. Applicants may propose any research schedule that best fits their project’s needs.
In their proposals, applicants must describe how they will utilize the onsite and virtual (if applicable) portions of their fellowship. Applicants may propose virtual fellowship time to cover any combination of the following full-time work: research with online collections, writing, editing, creative work, and studio time as they relate to the proposed project. Please note, virtual months may also be used to support research for applicants who have dependent care responsibilities.
