PAUL MELLON CENTRE Early Career Fellowship (New Narratives)

An annually awarded, two-year PMC Early Career Fellowship is to be granted to an early career researcher working in the field of British art history. The fellowship is part of the New Narratives set of funding opportunities designed to increase the diversity of perspectives of researchers and students within this field.

The fellowship is an award of £35,000 per year for two years and is designed to cover the living and sustenance costs of undertaking research in the field of British art history.

As well as funding, the Centre will offer mentorship and guidance for the duration of the fellowship, from both Centre staff and members of the wider British art history community. In turn, the fellows themselves will be expected to provide guidance and mentorship to the recipients of the PMC Doctoral Scholarships and MA/MPhil Studentships being provided under this scheme.

The New Narratives scheme particularly welcomes applications from those who are under-represented within the academic field of the humanities in the UK, including, for example, individuals who identify as black, brown or people of colour.

Scope

A two-year fellowship designed to sustain an early career researcher in undertaking significant art-historical research in the field of British art.

‘Early career’ is defined in this context as individuals who are within five years of receiving their doctorate or of having completed an equivalent form of research training or work experience.

Funding and Benefits

Two payments of £35,000 will be paid to the successful applicant in the September of each year they are an PMC Early Career Fellow.

The Centre can be used by the fellow as a base for their research and writing, and a workspace will be made available if required. The PMC Early Career Fellow will also be invited to participate in the PMC’s academic events programme, and in the Centre’s life more generally. Longer term, they will form part of a network of awardees who, both during and after their period of funding, will be affiliated with the PMC and who will be encouraged to use the Centre as a base to meet and exchange ideas.

Eligibility

To apply for a PMC Early Career Fellowship candidates must:

• Have a doctorate (or equivalent research training or work experience) in the field of British art studies
• Not hold a full-time permanent post or be in receipt of any other early career fellowships
• Have prepared a detailed two-year programme of the research they intend to carry out during the fellowship. Though fixed outcomes are not required, there must be evidence that the research is planned to contribute to one or more substantial outputs, such as books, articles or exhibition projects

The subject of the Fellow’s research is open; the only requirement is that it must be in the field of British art history, understood in its most diverse and international contexts.

In addition to academic background and demonstrated scholarly achievement, PMC Early Career Fellowship awards will take into account such factors as an applicant’s:

• Intent to pursue research, activities or a career pathway that contribute to the reframing of British art history and that challenge the received histories of British art
• Demonstrated interest or involvement in such research and issues in their work, community, academic or educational experience

The successful applicant is expected to begin their fellowship from September 2024. Fellowships cannot be deferred to later academic years nor can they run concurrently with an award by another institution.

Application

The Early Career Fellowship is offered in our Spring round of funding.

Applications are currently open, closing date for applications is 31 January 2024 at 11:59pm. Closing date for referees is 11 February 2024 at 11:59pm.

To apply for this PMC Early Career Fellowship applicants must use our online system at grants.paul-mellon-centre.ac.uk. Once registered they will be able to fill out the online application form (example of which can be downloaded below) and provide the details of two referees.

Once the application is submitted we will contact the nominated referees with details on how they submit their references which must be completed through our online system and must be no more than 500 words.