The Terra Foundation Fellowships in American Art (2020-2021) at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) foster international research on American art and visual culture prior to 1980 that relates to the collections of the Smithsonian Institution. Fellowships of three to twelve months are awarded annually at the predoctoral, postdoctoral, and senior levels to scholars from abroad who are researching American art or to U.S. scholars with an exceptionally strong international component to their study. Appointments are residential and support full-time independent and dissertation research. Recipients will be part of the premier residential fellowship program in American art—one that celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2020.

SAAM's holdings reveal the United States’ rich artistic and cultural history from the colonial period to today. This unparalleled collection of over 44,000 works includes special strengths in 19th- and 20th-century marble and bronze sculpture, 19th-century landscape painting, Gilded Age and American impressionist painting, 20th-century realism, photography and graphic art, self-taught art, Latino art, African American art, and time-based media arts. Contemporary American craft and decorative art are featured in the Renwick Gallery, a branch of the museum located across from the White House.

Each scholar is provided a carrel in SAAM’s Research and Scholars Center, situated across the street from the museum. Available research resources there include a 180,000-volume library that specializes in American art, history, and biography; the Archives of American Art; the graphics collections of SAAM and the National Portrait Gallery; the Joseph Cornell Study Center; and the Nam June Paik Archive, as well as a variety of image collections and research databases. Conveniently located in downtown Washington, DC, SAAM’s Research and Scholars Center is a short walk from other Smithsonian museums and libraries, the Library of Congress, the National Archives, and the National Gallery of Art. Regular lunchtime seminars, workshops, public lectures, and symposia provide a forum for scholarly exchange and professional advancement. Short research trips are also possible. 

The stipend for a 12-month Terra Foundation Fellowship is $36,000 at the predoctoral level, $50,400 at the postdoctoral level, and $60,000 for senior scholars. Up to $4,000 is available for research travel. Additional allowances may be provided to help with temporary relocation to the Smithsonian and the cost of health insurance. The Smithsonian Office of International Relations will assist with arranging J-1 exchange visas for awardees who require them.