John Cage Research Grant

John Cage Research Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Northwestern University
Amount: Up to US $3,000
Last Updated: February 16, 2026

Summary

The John Cage Research Grant, established by Northwestern University Libraries, supports scholars conducting research on the life and work of composer John Cage. With an annual funding of up to $3,000, this grant covers transportation, accommodations, and meals for on-site visits to utilize the Cage Collection. Open to researchers across various fields, the grant promotes interdisciplinary studies and creative arts while ensuring that applicants demonstrate a clear need for extensive access to the collection.

Overview

John Cage Research Grant The Northwestern University Libraries' John Cage Collection is an extensive archive of primary materials documenting the life and work of the 20th century’s most revolutionary composer. Established by Cage in the early 1970s, the collection grew considerably over the following decades as Cage placed more and more materials at Northwestern until his death in 1992. Since then, the archive has been expanded further with acquisitions obtained through donation and purchase. As a major repository of original Cage materials, the collection supports the work of scholars worldwide and has been a source for many books, articles and dissertations. Established in 2013 to promote further use of the John Cage Collection, the Northwestern University Libraries John Cage Research Grant is a competitive award for one or more scholars whose research requires substantial on-site use of the Cage Collection. Funding Each year we will award one or more grants, up to a total of $3,000. Grants will be awarded to reimburse expenses for transportation, accommodations, and meals for one or more on-site visits to Northwestern University Libraries for the purpose of research using the John Cage Collection.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Open to academic and independent researchers. There are no restrictions as to the applicant’s nationality or academic status. Research may be in any field (e.g., musicology, art history, philosophy, literature, cultural studies), but projects must concern an aspect of Cage’s life and work and must clearly demonstrate a need for extensive use of the Cage Collection.Applicants who are not awarded the grant the first time they apply may resubmit in following years without prejudice. An applicant may receive only one award for any one project as determined by the selection committee and Northwestern Libraries. At the discretion of the committee and Northwestern University Libraries, the grant may be awarded to an individual applicant, a team, or divided among multiple applicants and/or teams. Further, if a suitable recipient is not identified among the applications received, we reserve the right to withhold the grant for that particular year.

Ineligibility

Travel grants are not granted to researchers affiliated with Northwestern University.