Decorative Arts Trust: Publishing Grants for Dissertations and First-Time Authors

The Decorative Arts Trust has launched a new grant program aimed at supporting book-length academic publications based on completed dissertations or by first-time authors. Established in December 2023, this initiative seeks to enhance scholarship and appreciation for material culture within the Americas. The program encourages diversity in American decorative arts studies and is open to both print and digital publications, with funding requests up to $5,000 for publication costs and digitization efforts.

Background
The Decorative Arts Trust established a new publishing grant program in December 2023, the latest expansion of the organization’s efforts to invigorate scholarship and broaden appreciation of material culture. The endeavor is structured to support publications tackling the broad context of the Americas and to encourage projects that advance diversity in the study of American decorative arts and material culture. The program will also respond to the changing needs of the field and will consider publishing efforts in both the print and digital sectors.
The Trust receives dozens of requests for funding for publishing related projects each year and recognizes the strong demand for and limited supply of resources focused on publishing in the art community. This new venture establishes a commitment to sharing important art historical research as broadly as possible. An advisory committee consisting of museum professionals and academics with broad experience in publishing stewards the program and oversees the selection of grant recipients.
This program is focused specifically on book-length academic publications based on completed dissertations or by first-time authors seeking to publish a scholarly work that increases the awareness and appreciation of important areas of material culture research.
Guidelines
We use the terms decorative arts and material culture in relation to three-dimensional objects but will also consider proposals that focus on decorative painting, prints, maps, and wallpaper as well as those that analyze the interiors for which objects were designed or in which they were placed.
The Trust encourages projects that advance diversity in the study of American decorative arts and material culture.
Proposals can request funding up to $5,000. Publication costs tied to the quantity and size of images to be included, the number of color versus black-and-white illustrations, as well as obtaining permission and reproduction rights are permitted. Monies also can be used toward the digitization of an in-print publication.
All funding will be directed to the publisher or the author upon receipt of invoices for incurred expenses.

Eligibility

Proposed topics should focus on objects made or used in an American context, defined as North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean.Proposals from authors located outside of the United States will be accepted.Publications are expected to contain original research which yields information of high scholarly value.We will accept applications from first-time authors seeking to publish a dissertation or other significant scholarly work. We will also accept applications from academic presses on behalf of authors currently under contract.We intend to support in-print as well as digital publications, with an expectation that some portion of the content of in-print books will have some level of digital accessibility.