Latino Museum Studies Program Graduate Summer Fellowship Grant

Latino Museum Studies Program Graduate Summer Fellowship Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Smithsonian Institution (SI)
Last Updated: March 06, 2026

Summary

The Latino Museum Studies Program Graduate Summer Fellowship offers graduate students an opportunity to engage with Latino cultures within the American context. Participants attend lectures and workshops at the Smithsonian and complete a practicum project at a museum. The fellowship includes a stipend for meals and transportation, along with housing arrangements. Open to graduate students in relevant fields, it aims to enhance representation and scholarship in Latino art and cultural studies, fostering connections with professionals in the museum sector.

Overview

The Latino Museum Studies Program (LMSP) Graduate Summer Fellowship provides a national forum for graduate students to share, explore and discuss the representation and interpretation of Latino cultures in the context of the American experience. It provides a unique opportunity to meet and engage with Smithsonian professionals, scholars from renowned universities, and with leaders in the museum field. Created in 1994 as Smithsonian Institute for Interpreting and Representing Latino Cultures (SIIRLC), LMSP seeks to increase the representation, documentation, research, knowledge, and interpretation of Latino art, culture, and history. The program focuses on developing museum practice within a framework of Latino cultural studies and is offered in two components. The first component consists of a series of lectures, workshops, and behind-the-scenes tours at the Smithsonian. Curators, researchers, and other museum professionals as well as invited guest lecturers, will lead interactive tours and discussions providing participants a unique opportunity to see and hear first-hand the best practices in museums and cultural centers. The second component consists of a practicum project within a selected Smithsonian museum. Applicants are matched to a practicum based on their background and experience, and how well the project aligns to their future goals. To date, the program has over 345 alumni across the world. They are accomplished in various fields and have authored or edited many books that help expand U.S. Latino scholarship across academia and museums. Award Fellows will be provided a modest stipend to offset costs of meals and local transportation.Roundtrip economy air or regional rail transportation from within the United States to Washington, D.C. is provided.Fully furnished apartments are provided to enrolled fellows and common spaces are also shared with other members of the cohort.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Graduate students enrolled or engaged in the fields of Latino art, culture, and history (and are interested in pursuing a museum career) are encouraged to apply.Relevant majors include but are not limited to art history, visual arts, digital arts, cultural anthropology, arts management, performing arts, and related studies.