2025-2026 Application for Tyson Scholars

How to apply

All application materials should be received by the deadline of December 16, 2024. If the proposal does not include all the following components, it will be considered incomplete. Please review the instructions below thoroughly.

Begin your application

We highly recommend reviewing the Tyson Scholar Program FAQ, which will aid in completing your application.

Crystal Bridges is committed to supporting applicants with disabilities to ensure that they are able to complete all components of the application for consideration for the Tyson Scholars Program. To request accommodation regarding application submission, please reach out to TysonScholars@CrystalBridges.org.

Questions about your application? Contact us at TysonScholars@CrystalBridges.org

To submit your application, you will be asked to answer/submit the following:

General applicant information, including name and contact information

Statement of Purpose

• Document of approximately 1500 words that includes:
  • A detailed description of your project
  • An outline of the ways your project contributes to a more equitable and inclusive history of American art
  • Your methodologies and a brief overview of relevant literature
  • A statement of your goals for the fellowship, including what you will accomplish during your residency.
  • Why residency in Northwest Arkansas and the surrounding areas will advance your work. Consider how your project will intersect meaningfully with the museum’s collections, library resources, architecture, grounds, curatorial expertise, programs and exhibitions; and/or the University of Arkansas faculty and resources broadly.
  • Your estimated completion date and the result of your completed project (dissertation, book, etc.)
  • Include 2-3 images in your description if they help to convey your ideas.

Timeline (250 words)

• Please provide a brief timeline of your work and estimated completion/publication date. Are there any specific forms of support—beyond the stipend and time to write—that would be useful to you (such as developmental editing, help securing image permissions, chapter reviews, or other)?
• Bullet points are acceptable.

Framing your research for a broad audience (300 words)

• The Tyson Scholars Program at Crystal Bridges seeks to identify ways to make scholarship accessible and interesting to a wider audience. Please consider how you would frame your project in an informal setting, describing your project beyond a quick “elevator pitch.” Why/How is your research compelling to the public? You might choose to describe a particularly fascinating archival find, a compelling figure in your research, or anything else that an audience beyond the academy might find relevant and intriguing.

Would you like to be considered for the programming grant? (300 words)(Optional)

• Are you interested in building skills and finding ways that your research can impact and engage community groups? Consider applying for a Programming Grant [optional].
• In the spirit of furthering the public impacts of academic research, applicants will have the opportunity to apply for a competitive supplemental Programming Grant. The grant recipient will partner with the museum’s Learning & Engagement division to design and pilot a program or resource for the Crystal Bridges community. Opportunities within Learning & Engagement include:
  • Public Programs: From family days to speaker events to studio artmaking, this is your opportunity to share your research with wider audiences.
  • Community Engagement: Collaborate with a Crystal Bridges community partner to align your research with community interests or needs.
  • Library and Archives: Use the tools and techniques of information science and digital humanities to transform your research into accessible resources or engagements.
  • School Programs: Tailor your research to reach K-12 students in a museum and/or classroom setting.
• Up to $10,000 is available to mobilize art historical research in new ways or to connect research to the community. Proposals should include the aspects of your research that will inform the project, the intended audience for the project, and the Learning & Engagement team you will partner with (listed above). Your ideas do not need to be fully formed—this is an opportunity to experiment, innovate, and benefit from the experience of Crystal Bridges educators and programmers. With the museum’s support, the recipient will realize the proposed project, hosted by Crystal Bridges, during or following the fellowship term.

Curriculum vitae (limited to 10 pages)

• The applicant’s academic standing, scholarly qualifications, and experience will be considered, as it informs the ability of the applicant to complete the proposed project.

Two letters of recommendation

• The applicant will provide names and contact information for two recommenders. The recommenders will be contacted directly and invited to submit their letters via the application portal. Letters of support should address specific examples to illustrate the achievements, promise, originality, and potential of the applicant.

Applications will be evaluated on the originality and quality of the proposed research project and its contribution to a more equitable and inclusive history of American art. We especially invite (but do not require) research projects that will intersect meaningfully with the museum’s collections, library resources, architecture, grounds, curatorial expertise, programs and exhibitions; and/or the University of Arkansas faculty broadly. Applicants should speak to why residence in Northwest Arkansas and the surrounding areas will advance their work. The applicant’s academic standing, scholarly qualifications, and experience will be considered.

The selection committee will consider the following when reviewing your application:

• The application is well-written, the project is original, and the applicant identifies the project’s stakes with respect to the existing literature and the direction of the field of art history.
• The applicant demonstrates a plan and achievable goals for the residency and an estimated completion date for the project.
• The application contributes to a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive history of American art through topic, methods of research, or perspective of the applicant. The project seeks to expand the boundaries and traditional categories of investigation into American art and visual culture.
• The applicant clearly outlines why residency in Northwest Arkansas will advance their work. The project may:
  • Connect to the Crystal Bridges collection, or exhibitions at Crystal Bridges and the Momentary
  • Draw on library resources, the architecture, grounds, curatorial expertise, or programs at Crystal Bridges and the Momentary
  • Intersect with faculty, the library, and/or special collections at the University of Arkansas
  • Benefit from a period spent in the Northwest Arkansas region in proximity to resources at other institutions.
• The applicant’s academic standing, scholarly qualifications, and expertise outlined in the CV support the applicant’s ability to complete the proposed project.
• The letters of support are strong and specific with respect to the achievements, promise, originality, and potential of the applicant.
• Note: The Programming Grant recipient will be selected in conversation with the Crystal Bridges Learning and Engagement team.

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