Book Art Research Fellowship by Center for Book Arts

Applications are due February 28th, 2026.

Researchers and scholars in art history, literature, book history, library science, or museum studies, conservation studies, or other relevant fields are invited to submit research proposals that draw upon CBA’s unique collections of materials related to book art.

CBA’s Permanent Collection consists of three parts:

1. Fine Arts Collection of artists’ books, prints, and objects
2. Library focused on the practice, theory, and history of book arts
3. CBA’s Archives containing records of original exhibitions presented at CBA and the history of CBA’s programmatic activities.

Taken as a whole, CBA’s collections serve as a historical record of book art as a creative medium and a framework for critical research into book art practice.

You can browse the collections online or make an appointment to visit in-person by emailing collections@centerforbookarts.org.

The individual(s) selected for the Fellowship will have access to CBA’s collections, provided institutional support during the research process, and receive a $1,200 stipend.

Fellows are expected to spend a total of 2-3 weeks conducting research on-site at Center for Book Arts. Research periods can take place any time in the calendar year of 2026 outside of holidays and other planned closures. Please note that this fellowship is intended for scholarly research projects rather than the creation of artworks.

At the culmination of the Fellowship, the selected individual(s) will present their research in a public talk. CBA will subsequently have the first right of refusal to publish their research in our Book Art Review journal.

Past Book Art Research Fellows:

2022: Yuji Kawasima; Alta Price

2023: Nic Caldwell; Caterina Stamou

2024: Darian Razdar; Nanase Shirokawa

2025: Eli Rodriguez Fielder; Julian R. Silverman

The 2026 Book Art Research Fellowship is made possible with generous support from the Pine Tree Foundation of New York.

Application Instructions

Important Dates

Application Posted:
January 15, 2026

Application Deadline:
February 28, 2026

Applicants Notified:
March/April 2026

Applications must include all of the following:

1. A resume or CV
2. A 500 to 1000 word proposal outlining the research project, including:
   1. How holdings from the Center for Book Arts relate to the project
   2. A short bibliography listing individual resources from the collection to be consulted (5 or more works)
   3. A proposed timeline for residency at the Center for Book Arts. Please note that due to the application timeline, research will take place April-December, 2026.

Please note that this fellowship is intended for scholarly research projects rather than the creation of artworks.

Image credits:  Scrapbook items from CBA’s first ten years via Center for Book Arts