Cáder Institute for Central American Art Research Fellowship 2027
Application deadline: 30 June 2026
The ICAC grants and fellowships programmes, awarded by the Museo Reina Sofía Foundation, seek to support researchers, art professionals and students in their contributions to the expansion and development of the Central American art ecosystem.
Research Fellowship
Each year, the Museo Reina Sofía Foundation awards an annual ICAC Research Fellowship, which includes financial support and mentorship from the Museum, for the development of an original research project on Central American art.
The fellowship lasts ten months and has the following main objectives:
- The development of an independent research project that explores in depth the questions that define and shape the scenes and histories of art in Central America. The fellow receives guidance and support from the Museum’s Study Center, which provides tools, resources, and networks, as well as a space for exchange and research alongside other residents.
- Active exchange with the Collections teams and with the Library and Documentation Center, with the aim of expanding knowledge of Central American artists within the Museum’s holdings.
- Collaboration with the departments of Museo Tentacular, Film and New Media, and Public Programs.
About ICAC
The Cáder Institute for Central American Art (ICAC) of the Reina Sofía Museum is an organization dedicated to the study, research, and dissemination of the practices, scenes, and histories of Central American art and its diasporas. Initiated by Mario Cáder-Frech, a Salvadoran collector and cultural manager, the project is part of the Museum’s Directorate of Studies and is developed in collaboration with the Reina Sofía Museum Foundation and the Museo Reina Sofía Foundation (USA).
The project seeks to contribute to a more equitable cultural ecology, based on reciprocity, in which the artistic practices of the region can be researched, disseminated, and preserved with rigor and with the same opportunities as others on the global scene.
To this end, the Reina Sofía Museum Foundation offers a research fellowship in accordance with the following terms.
A 10-month research fellowship to develop an original, unpublished research project focused on the histories, practices, scenes, and dynamics of Central American art and its diasporas. The fellowship is awarded by the Reina Sofía Museum Foundation through the Cáder Institute for Central American Art (ICAC). It includes mentorship, access to the Museum’s resources and networks, two research stays at the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid, and the opportunity to present findings through a public event.
Eligibility
- Open to any individual, regardless of nationality or country of residence.
- Priority given to nationals or residents of: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, or Panama.
- Applications can be individual or collective (groups do not need to be formally incorporated, but must designate one responsible representative).
- Applicants must not be simultaneous beneficiaries of another fellowship or institutional support for the same purpose.
Open call details
- Application period: 14 May – 30 June 2026
- Submit by email to: ICAC@museoreinasofia.es
- Languages accepted: Spanish or English
- Results announced: second half of July 2026
Compensation
- €12,600 net (for 1,300 hours of work over 10 months) – same amount for individual or collective applications.
- Additional travel fund of up to €4,000 for research trips within Central America (subject to justification and approval).
- Two paid stays at the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid (approx. 2 weeks each) – travel and accommodation covered by ICAC.
- Mentorship, access to collections, library, archives, and collaboration with Museum departments.
For more information on the application procedure and terms, please visit the link below.
Note: This call was translated and edited from Spanish. Spanish proficiency is likely required, please contact the organization if unsure.
Image credits: Antonio Pichillá, Anudar y desanudar, 2015.Museo Reina Sofía. Deposito indefinido de la Fundación Museo Reina Sofía, 2020 (Donación de José Antonio Llorente). Via Museo Reina Sofia Website
