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Summer Archiving Fellowships, Dance/USA, Washington, DC

Overview

Dance/USA, the national service organization for dance, invites applications for Summer 2023 Archiving and Preservation Fellowships from current and recent master’s or doctoral degree students in library and information sciences and related fields, and other emerging archivists with relevant experience. Archiving and Preservation Fellows are paired with dance companies, arts organizations, and independent artists to complete archiving projects for 13 weeks in the summer. In 2023, Dance/USA will award four Archiving and Preservation Fellowships. This program is generously supported by funding from the Mellon Foundation.  

The goals of the Archiving and Preservation Fellowship Program are to develop an engaged, passionate, and well-trained next generation of archivists in the dance ecosystem; to advance models for community-based archiving assistance to regional dance communities; and to provide high quality archival assistance to dance organizations and artists who may otherwise not have the resources, time, or expertise to access professional archiving services. Read about Dance/USA’s previous Archiving and Preservation Fellows and their projects here.  

Program Format and Project Descriptions

The theme of the 2023 Archiving and Preservation Fellowships is Archives as Stories; Stories as Resources. Dance/USA will award four Fellowships in 2023.

Timeline and commitment: June-August 2023, approximately 450 hours total. 

Locations:

  • Cleo Parker Robinson Dance (Denver, CO)
  • JazzAntiqua (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Jennifer Harge/Harge Dance Stories (Detroit, MI)
  • Segunda Quimbamba Folkloric Center (Jersey City, NJ)

Find descriptions of projects and project sites at: https://www.danceusa.org/fellowships

NOTE: The Fellowships will be in-person or hybrid, unless health and safety concerns require a complete shift to remote work. 

Proof of vaccination will be required for any on-site work or attendance at in-person convenings, and Fellows must agree to follow any COVID protocols or mandates required by their host sites.

Stipend: $10,000 per Fellow

The Fellowship will be supervised and administered by Dance/USA’s Department of Archiving & Preservation. The Fellow will receive orientation and training in dance-specific concepts and resources for archiving, and will work with local mentors and organizations on projects to preserve and create access to unique dance materials. Each Fellow will be assigned to work on one of the following projects:

How to Apply

Eligibility Requirements: 

Preferred: full- or part-time enrollment in a graduate program in Library and Information Science, Archives, or related subjects through at least Spring 2023. Dance/USA will consider applicants who are not in academic programs, but who have a strong interest in dance archiving and relevant skills and experience. Fellows must be available to work full-time for approximately 13 weeks during June, July, and August 2023 and able to travel for conferences. Exact start and end dates can be coordinated with academic year commitments. Applicants who identify as Black, Native, Indigenous, Person of Color (BIPOC), gender diverse, disabled, and/or as committed to advancing social justice causes, are strongly encouraged.  

Application Process

Submit a resume, list of references, and a Vision, Values, and Goals Statement explaining what the applicant hopes to contribute to and gain from the Fellowship and how this opportunity aligns with career goals and personal values. This statement should highlight any experience or connection with dance/performing arts and dance legacy materials. Please include any language skills. Applicants may, but are not required to, express a preference for one of the four projects described; however, Dance/USA does not commit to assigning the applicant to the preferred project. 

Deadline: 11:59pm EST, January 18, 2023

Please send Vision, Values, and Goals statement, resume, and contact and relationship (e.g. professor, supervisor) information for 3 references as one PDF named “Lastname_Firstname.pdf” to Hallie Chametzky, Archiving Specialist, [email protected].

Applicant Finalists will be contacted to schedule a Zoom interview with the Dance/USA team, and may also have a second interview with a host organization.

If you have questions, contact Imogen Smith ([email protected]) and Hallie Chametzky ([email protected])