The Bentley Historical Library is offering new fellowships that support in-person use of the library collections.
Fellowships can be used to explore any Bentley collections in-person and support artistic inspiration, K-12 curriculum and lesson planning, and publication research. You do not have to be affiliated with the University of Michigan to apply.
Fellowships are available each year and provide $3,000 stipends. Fellowships are awarded on an annual basis.
The next application deadline is March 16, 2026.
Fellowship Details
K-12 Educators
K-12 fellowships are open to any educator employed in K-12 instruction in the state of Michigan, either in a public or private school. They must be interested in organizing and teaching a course, unit, or lessons with significant connections to the collections of the Bentley Historical Library. For the purposes of this grant, an educator is anyone who designs and/or delivers instruction – teachers, school librarians/media specialists, etc. We especially encourage educators who have not worked in archives before, and those from underserved schools, to apply.
Artists
Artist fellowships are open to all artists in any stage of their career, including independent artists and graduate students, with the opportunity for in-depth archival research that will contribute to the development of their artistic practice. Artists without prior experience working in archives are also encouraged to apply. We do not require the creation or exhibition of new work during the course of the fellowship.
Researchers
The Bentley offers several travel research fellowships designed for graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and independent scholars engaged in research in any area requiring significant use of our rich collections. Most recipients of these fellowships come to the Bentley with the goal of producing a scholarly article or monograph, but others have produced museum exhibits, podcasts, or documentaries.
Special Funding
Special funding is available for researchers interested in architecture collections courtesy of the Gunnar Bierkerts Fellowship fund that can be used by any of the above three fellowship categories. The application process is the same.
How to Apply
Each fellowship provides a $3,000 stipend. Fellowships are awarded on an annual basis. The next application deadline is March 16, 2026. Applicants will be notified in mid-April.
In addition to completing basic applicant information, applicants are asked to submit:
- A curriculum vitae or resume
- 1-2 paragraph project summary describing your project and its significance to your work, discipline, and/or community
- A statement about what Bentley materials you are planning on examining, their importance for the project, and how the fellowship will assist in supporting the project (maximum 2 pages)
- Two brief letters of recommendation that address the applicant’s work and/or the proposed project
- An artist statement (optional)
- Links to relevant work samples, such as lesson plans or sample portfolios (optional)
Questions? Please contact: bentley-fellowships@umich.edu
