Dance/USA, the national service organization for dance, invites applications for the Dance/USA 2024 Archiving and Preservation Fellowship Program from master’s degree students in library and information sciences and related fields, and emerging archivists with relevant experience. The theme of this round of Fellowships, generously supported by funding from the Mellon Foundation, is Culture Bearers and Connectors.
The goal of the Archiving and Preservation Fellowship Program is to develop an engaged, passionate, and well-trained next generation of archivists in the dance ecosystem and to advance models for community-based archiving assistance to regional dance communities. Dance/USA invites applicants who are committed to advancing a more equitable and inclusive archives field that reflects and supports the true diversity of voices, practices, and identities within dance communities. Applicants should be interested in learning and applying archiving methods that are culturally sensitive and rooted in community practice. Read about Dance/USA’s previous Archiving and Preservation Fellows and their projects here.
Program Format and Project Descriptions
The theme of the 2024 Archiving and Preservation Fellowships is Culture Bearers and Connectors. Dance/USA will award four Fellowships in 2024.
Timeline and commitment: June-August 2024, approximately 450 hours total.
Locations:
- Cashion Cultural Legacy (San José, CA)
- Dianne Walker (Charlotte, NC)
- LEIMAY (Brooklyn, NY)
- The National Institute of Flamenco (Albuquerque, NM)
Find descriptions of projects and project sites below!
NOTE: The Fellowships will be in-person, hybrid, and remote. See the project descriptions below for more information.
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 2024. 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 2024 and able to travel for convenings. 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, particularly Spanish, and level of fluency. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to express a preference for one or more of the four projects described; however, Dance/USA does not commit to assigning the applicant to the preferred project.
Deadline: 11:59pm EST, December 20, 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, hchametzky@danceusa.org.
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 Hallie Chametzky (hchametzky@danceusa.org)