Tyson Book Prize in American Art
The Tyson Book Prize in American Art, established in 2026, is an annual publication award designed to support the development of significant new book-length scholarship in the history of American art. Open to Tyson Scholars of American Art applicants and past and current Tyson Scholars, the prize honors excellence in research and scholarship and supports the prize recipient's book development process, from manuscript to publication.
The Tyson Book Prize includes a monetary award of $10,000 and support for image rights and indexing. Additionally, the prize recipient will have the opportunity to publish with the University of Arkansas Press, although scholars already contracted with other publishers are welcome to apply. Through this initiative, Crystal Bridges, the Tyson Family Foundation, and the University of Arkansas Press have created a unique pathway for emerging and established scholars to transform original research into lasting contributions to the field.
FAQs
All former and current Tyson Scholars of American Art are eligible for the Tyson Book Prize. Additionally, anyone eligible for and applying to be a 2027-2028 Tyson Scholar may submit a book project for prize consideration. Current and former scholars will receive an invitation to apply; Tyson Scholar applicants will access the book prize application through the fellowship application.
Applications for the 2027 Tyson Book Prize are due on January 4, 2027. The prize recipient will be announced by March 15, 2027.
As with scholarship supported through the Tyson Scholars program, the Tyson Book Prize recognizes book-length scholarship that expands the boundaries of investigation into American art. Scholars focused on visual art, architecture, craft, visual and material culture, performance art, or new media are eligible to apply. We also invite applications from scholars approaching US art transregionally and looking at the broader geographical context of the Americas.
The Tyson Book Prize will primarily support monographs and exhibition catalogs. Coauthored books are eligible, as are collections edited by the applicant. To support early career scholars, we encourage submissions of monograph projects developed from dissertations.
The Tyson Book Prize is designed to support the development of a manuscript through the publication process; applicants are not expected to submit a completed manuscript or a published book. Book projects should be well developed beyond the dissertation or research phase and demonstrate a clear path to publication. Applicants will submit a strong book proposal, a detailed chapter outline, and a substantial writing sample. Projects may be under contract with a publisher or still seeking a publishing home.
The Tyson Book Prize provides an unrestricted monetary award of $10,000 and a $6,500 subvention for indexing and image costs. Additionally, the prize-winning project is eligible for publication by the University of Arkansas Press.
Publication timelines will be determined by the publisher, but the anticipated completion date submitted with the application must be within two years of the Tyson Book Prize application deadline of January 4, 2027 and supported by the project timeline.
Recipients will ensure the Tyson Book Prize is acknowledged on the copyright page and/or author acknowledgments of the prize-winning book and, when reasonable, in the marketing materials of the book publisher. Additionally, following publication, support will be available to travel to Northwest Arkansas to co-design and present a program with Crystal Bridges that introduces the book to university and general audiences.