FEL: Archives Research Fellowship @ Driskell Center

Call for Applications
Archives Research Fellowship Program at The Driskell Center

The David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland invites applications for its 2025–2026 Archives Research Fellowship program. Designed to support original scholarship rooted in the Center’s rich archival holdings, the program offers two low-residency fellowships over the academic year. Each fellow will receive a $3,000 stipend, paid in two installments, along with travel and lodging support for a short-term residency of up to three weeks at the Center. We welcome applications from scholars, artists, and cultural workers whose work engages with Black art, art history, and visual culture.

About The Archives

The Driskell Center Archives houses a growing collection of primary source materials across thirteen distinct collections documenting the lives, work, and critical reception of African American artists, scholars, and cultural institutions. Notable holdings include the personal papers of artist and scholar David C. Driskell—featuring six decades of correspondence, lectures, exhibition planning documents, and ephemera—as well as archives from the Weusi Artist Collective, artists Alonzo Davis and robin holder, art historians Tritobia Hayes Benjamin and Michael D. Harris, and arts administrator Terrie Rouse-Rosario. The Center’s archives contain correspondence, photographs, audiovisual materials, press clippings, and ephemera related to the history of Black art. The Center also maintains a non-circulating research library of over 5,000 volumes, including many rare exhibition catalogs. Together with its permanent collection of artworks, these resources support interdisciplinary research in art history, African American studies, visual culture, and museum studies. Applicants are encouraged to consult the Driskell Center’s website for finding aids and additional information, or to contact staff with specific questions about the holdings.
Eligibility
The fellowship is open to scholars, artists, curators, and cultural workers at any career stage, including graduate students (ABD), early-career researchers, and independent scholars. Applicants must demonstrate a clear research interest in African American art and visual culture, with a specific plan for using the archival and/or special collections of The Driskell Center. While the fellowship is open to U.S. and international applicants, travel reimbursement is limited to domestic travel within the United States.

Commitment 

Fellows are expected to complete a short-term research residency at The Driskell Center (up to three weeks) during the 2025–2026 academic year. The timing of the residency will be scheduled in coordination with the Center staff. Fellows will be asked to share their research in a public-facing format, such as a virtual presentation, blog post, or interview. A stipend of $3,000 will be paid in two installments: the first upon commencement of the fellowship on September 2, 2025, and the second upon completion of the residency and submission of a summary report by June 30, 2026.

Required Application Materials
Applicants should submit the following materials as a single PDF to archives-driskellcenter@umd.edu with “Archives Research Fellowship” in the subject line by Monday, June 30, 2025:
Research Proposal (max. 1,000 words) outlining the project’s goals, its relevance to the Driskell Center’s archival holdings, and the intended outcomes.
CV or Resume (max. 3 pages)
Proposed Residency Timeline indicating preferred dates for an on-site visit during the 2025–2026 academic year.
Contact information for one reference (name, title, affiliation, and email). Recommenders will be contacted directly after the application deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions

When will applicants be notified of their selection?
Applicants will be notified of fellowship decisions by July 31, 2025.

When can residencies take place?
Fellowship residencies must be completed during the 2025–2026 academic year (September 2, 2025 -May 8, 2026) . Specific dates will be scheduled in coordination with Center staff based on fellow availability and Center capacity.

Can international scholars apply?
Yes, international applicants are welcome; however, travel support is limited to domestic (U.S.) transportation and lodging expenses.

Is housing provided during the residency?
The fellowship includes funding to support short-term lodging near the University of Maryland, College Park. Fellows will receive assistance from staff in identifying accommodations but are responsible for making their own arrangements.

Do I need to submit a letter of reference with my application?
No. Please include the name, title, affiliation, and email address of one reference. Recommenders for finalists will be contacted directly after the application deadline.

Who can I contact with additional questions?
For inquiries about the fellowship, the application process, or the Driskell Center’s collections, please contact us at archives-driskellcenter@umd.edu with the subject line “Archives Research Fellowship.”

To Attend: James A. Porter Colloquium – Register Now

The 35th Annual James A. Porter Colloquium

on African American Art and Art of the African Diaspora

Dates: April 3-5, 2025

Locations:

  • April 3, 2025- The Driskell Center at the University of Maryland, College Park (In-Person)
  • April 4, 2025- The Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC(In-Person and Live-streamed on Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Youtube page)
  • April 5, 2025- National Gallery of Art, Washington,DC (In-Person Only and Live-streamed on National Gallery of Art’s Youtube page) & Howard University, Washington DC(In-Person Only and Live-streamed on the Porter Colloquium Youtube page)

Colloquium Theme Synopsis:

The Shape of Race

In partnership with the Driskell Center at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Association of Critical Race Art History, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Howard University Gallery of Art and the National Gallery of Art, the Department of Art in Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts invites the public to convene to examine new developments in the area of critical race art history.

Register for Driskell Center events on Thursday, April 3, 2024 by clicking the links below:

4:00PM Deity of the Circle Performance

6:00PM Distinguished Lecture by Dr. Kellie Jones

All additional registration can be completed through this eventbrite page.

Save the Date: 2025 James A. Porter Colloquium

JOB: Registrar, David C. Driskell Center, University of Maryland

Position Number: 130060
Title: Program Manager
Functional Title: Art Registrar
Category Status: 35-Exempt Contingent Category 2
Applicant Search Category: Staff
University Authorized FTE: 1.000
Unit: ARHU-David C. Driskell Center

Campus/College Information:
Founded in 1856, University of Maryland, College Park is the state’s flagship institution. Our 1,250-acre College Park campus is just minutes away from Washington, D.C., and the nexus of the nation’s legislative, executive, and judicial centers of power. This unique proximity to business and technology leaders, federal departments and agencies, and a myriad of research entities, embassies, think tanks, cultural centers, and non-profit organizations is simply unparalleled. Synergistic opportunities for our faculty and students abound and are virtually limitless in the nation’s capital and surrounding areas. The University is committed to attracting and retaining outstanding and diverse faculty and staff that will enhance our stature of preeminence in our three missions of teaching, scholarship, and full engagement in our community, the state of Maryland, and in the world.

Background Checks
Offers of employment are contingent on completion of a background check. Information reported by the background check will not automatically disqualify someone from employment. Prior to any adverse decision, finalists have an opportunity to provide information to the University regarding the background check.

The University reserves the right to rescind offers of employment or otherwise decline or terminate employment if the information reported by the background check is deemed incompatible with the position, regardless of when the background check is completed.

Offers are contingent on providing proof of employment eligibility in the United States no more than 3 days after the initial start date. If this proof is not provided within this timeframe, the offer may be rescinded or employment terminated.

Position Summary/Purpose of Position:
Serving as a member of the senior administrative team of the David C. Driskell Center, the Registrar supervises all aspects of registration activities pertaining to the permanent collections, loans, implementation of policies and procedures for acquisition, documentation, inventory, management, and disposition of the permanent collection and other objects in the Center’s custody. The Registrar also manages collections storage and will be the lead staff member on an upcoming migration to a new collections management database.

This is an in-person position. Telework may be available up to two (2) days per week, subject to approval.

Benefits Summary
Top Benefits and Perks: Exempt Benefits Summary

Minimum Qualifications:

EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate area of specialization; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

EXPERIENCE: 3 years of relevant professional experience.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES:
– Demonstrated knowledge of professional museum practices, including registration methods, safe object handling and art preservation, packing and shipping, storage of art, security measures, and object numbering techniques.
– Knowledge of and demonstrated skill in collection management databases, Microsoft Word and Excel, and Adobe Photoshop.
– Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and written and verbal communication skills.

Preferences:
-MA in Museum Studies or related field preferred.
– Experience in the field of Collections Management, including long-term department and museum planning, supervising staff, and writing and managing budgets.
– Experience with loans, both international and domestic, is a plus.
– Some knowledge in the areas of artwork and items in the Museum’s care is preferred.

Additional Information:
This is a grant-funded, term position for three years. Salary range is $58,656 – $70,000.

Candidates must be able to provide proof of eligibility to work in the USA. No visa sponsorship is offered for this position.

The University also offers a comprehensive benefits package, including 22 Days Annual Leave; 15

Days Sick Leave; 3 Days Personal Leave; 15 Paid Holidays; Tuition Remission; Health, Dental, Vision and Prescription coverage.

This is an in-person position. Telework may be available up to two (2) days per week, subject to approval.

People who identify with historically marginalized groups based on gender, race, ethnicity, and nationality are especially encouraged to apply.
Job Risks: Not Applicable to This Position

Physical Demands:
Creating an object’s condition report may require prolonged standing and lifting of large/heavy art objects.

Posting Date: 10/31/2024
Closing Date:
Open Until Filled Yes
Best Consideration Date 12/06/2024

Diversity Statement:
The University of Maryland, College Park, an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, creed, marital status, political affiliation, personal appearance, or on the basis of rights secured by the First Amendment, in all aspects of employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Call for Submissions: David C. And Thelma G. Driskell Award for Creative Excellence

The University of Maryland is pleased to announce the 2023–24 competition for The David C. and Thelma G. Driskell Award for Creative Excellence.

The David C. Driskell Center

Committed to preserving the rich heritage of African American visual art and culture, the David C. Driskell Center was established in 2001 to provide an intellectual home for artists, museum professionals, art administrators and scholars who are working to expand and deepen the field of African diasporic studies in the visual arts. Housing artistic collections, archival papers and a research library, the Driskell Center is a major repository for the study of African American visual culture. A description of major collections can be found here.

About the Award

The David C. and Thelma G. Driskell Award for Creative Excellence provides emerging scholars and artists from around the world the opportunity to work in the Driskell Center’s collections and archives in self-directed research leading to the creation of a new artistic and/or scholarly work. While the Driskell Center will serve as the primary location of research, the University of Maryland’s proximity to Washington, D.C., also opens up other locations for study, including the Smithsonian Museums, the Archives of American Art, the National Gallery of Art and a variety of historical sites and monuments. Awardees will spend two to three weeks in residence at the Driskell Center immersed in its collections.

Award

Residencies will take place between September 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024; exact dates will be coordinated with the director and staff. The awardee will receive a stipend of $5,000 and lodging on or near the University of Maryland’s College Park campus for the duration of their award period (between two and three weeks). A work space inside the Driskell Center library will also be provided. Within two months following the completion of their residency, the awardee will submit an illustrated narrative of their work at the Driskell Center (max 750 words). 

Eligibility and Evaluation

We welcome proposals from emerging scholars, including graduate students and those who have completed graduate degrees within the last five years. To apply, please send (1) a project proposal of no more than 1000 words, (2) a resume and (3) one letter of reference to driskellcenter@umd.edu by May 15, 2023. The proposal should outline relevant experience and accomplishments, the proposed creative or research topic, an explanation of how the center’s holdings will support that topic and a proposed timeline for the residency of either two or three weeks. 

https://arhu.umd.edu/news/call-submissions-david-c-and-thelma-g-driskell-award-creative-excellence