The Independent Study Program (ISP) at ​Whitney Museum of American Art

Whitney Museum of American Art 

The Independent Study Program (ISP) consists of three interrelated parts: Studio Program, Curatorial Program, and Critical Studies Program. The ISP provides a setting within which students pursuing art practice, curatorial work, art historical scholarship, and critical writing engage in ongoing discussions and debates that examine the historical, social, and intellectual conditions of artistic production. The program encourages the theoretical and critical study of the practices, institutions, and discourses that constitute the field of culture.

Each year fifteen students are selected to participate in the Studio Program, four in the Curatorial Program, and six in the Critical Studies Program. Curatorial and critical studies students are designated as Helena Rubinstein Fellows in recognition of the substantial support provided to the program by the Helena Rubinstein Foundation. The program begins in early September and concludes at the end of the following May. Many of the participants are enrolled at universities and art schools and receive academic credit for their participation, while others have recently completed their formal studies.

APPLICATION

ALL APPLICATIONS MUST INCLUDE:

  1. A clear indication of which program (studio, critical, or curatorial) you are applying for
  2. A résumé or C.V. including name, address, and telephone number (school and/or permanent)
  3. School you are currently attending or have attended, degree program, and expected date of graduation (may be included in your C.V.)
  4. Two letters of recommendation (may be sent under separate cover)
  5. A statement discussing your work, educational experience, and intellectual interests (no more than 2 pages)
  6. An application fee of $15 (make check or a Western Union money order payable to Whitney Museum of American Art)

STUDIO PROGRAM APPLICANTS MUST ALSO INCLUDE:

  1. Reproductions of examples of your recent work—No more than 15 high resolution print-outs, photos, or slides (slides must be enclosed in plastic sleeves). No more than 30 minutes of film, videotape, or DVD (do not send original material). Please do not send CD-ROMs. Application materials must be enclosed in no larger than a 9 × 12-inch envelope. Oversize material will not be reviewed.

CURATORIAL PROGRAM APPLICANTS MUST ALSO INCLUDE:

  1. Writing sample (no more than 15 pages)
  2. An exhibition proposal (no more than 2 pages)

CRITICAL STUDIES PROGRAM APPLICANTS MUST ALSO INCLUDE:

  1. Writing sample (no more than 15 pages)
  2. An individual research project proposal (no more than 4 pages)

ELIGIBILITY

Those eligible for participation in the ISP include graduate students, candidates for advanced postgraduate degrees, undergraduates with a demonstrated capacity for advanced scholarship, or those who have recently completed formal academic study.  The ISP welcomes international applications and can provide a J-1 cultural visa if needed.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

All application materials and supporting documents must be received by April 1.

Send applications to:

Ron Clark, Director
Independent Study Program
100 Lafayette St., 5th floor
New York, NY 10013
t (212) 431-1737
f (212) 431-1783
whitneyisp@whitney.org

Email inquiries are preferred. Faxed or emailed applications will not be accepted.

SEE MORE:

http://whitney.org/Research/ISP