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Research Awards and FellowshipsThe American Folklife Center's competitive awards provide modest financial awards for scholars interested in working with ethnographic collection materials at the Library of Congress and for those individuals conducting fieldwork on topics related to the aims and scope of folklife research. Descriptions of these programs and awards follow.
The Gerald E. and Corinne L. Parsons Fund AwardThe Parsons Fund Committee for the Gerald E. and Corinne L. Parsons Fund for Ethnography at the Library of Congress accepts applications annually. The next application period begins February 4, 2010 and the deadline is March 12, 2010. The committee is composed of the professional staff of the American Folklife Center. The maximum award available this year is $1500, though this may be divided among more than one recipient.
Purpose of Award and Eligibility The purpose of the fund is to increase awareness of the ethnographic collections at the Library of Congress and to make the collections of primary ethnographic materials housed anywhere at the Library available to the needs and uses of those in the private sector. Awards may be made either to individuals or to organizations in support of specific projects. Scope of ProjectsProjects may lead to publication in media of all types, both commercial and non-commercial; underwrite new works of art, music, or fiction; involve academic research; contribute to the theoretical development of archival science; explore practical possibilities for processing ethnographic collections in the Archive of Folk Culture or elsewhere in the Library of Congress; develop new means of providing reference service; support student work; experiment with conservation techniques; and support ethnographic field research leading to new Library acquisitions. Application Deadlines and Procedures Please review application materials prior to submitting them to the Center to ensure that all the following elements are included. Incomplete applications will not be considered. In the past, successful applicants have consulted with AFC staff members prior to submitting their application. The application consists of:
Because of security measures at the Library, US Mail and Federal Express may be delayed for over one month and sensitive media such as photographs may be damaged or destroyed. Therefore, we strongly recommend that applications be submitted as Word- , WordPerfect, or RTF-formatted documents or .pdf files, attached to an email with the subject line "[your last name] Parsons application." Address the email to the Parsons Fund Committee at: folklife@loc.gov. You may also fax all materials to: (202) 707-2076. If you have any questions about procedures, please address your query to the Chair, Parsons Fund Committee at the email or fax listed above or call (202) 707-5510. 2009
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The Henry Reed Fund Award
The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, presents an award from the Henry Reed Fund for Folk Artists every other year. The next call for applications begins February 4, 2010 and the deadline is March 12, 2010. The award amount is usually between $400 and $1000. The award may be split between more than one recipient. The Henry Reed Fund was established in 1990 in honor of old-time fiddler Henry Reed, with an initial gift from founding AFC director and fiddler Alan Jabbour. The purpose of the fund is to provide support for activities directly involving folk artists, especially when the activities reflect, draw upon, or strengthen the collections of the American Folklife Center. The life and work of Henry Reed is documented in the online collection "Fiddle Tunes of the Old Frontier." Projects and activities might include:
Application Deadline and Procedures: Applicants for Henry Reed Fund awards should submit a 750-1500 word description of their proposed project, with a budget and schedule of project activities. AFC staff members are happy to discuss proposals with applicants prior to submission (see contact information below). Applications should also include a résumé, artist bio, or statement of previous experience, and the names, addresses, and phone numbers of three references who are qualified to speak about the applicant's work. Because of security measures at the Library, materials sent via the U.S. Postal Service or express-mail services may be significantly delayed, and sensitive media, such as CDs and photographs, may be damaged or destroyed. Therefore, we strongly recommend that applications only be submitted as Word- or WordPerfect-formatted documents or .pdf files, attached to an email with the subject line: "[your last name] Reed Fund application." Address the email to the Henry Reed Fund Committee at: folklife@loc.gov. You may also fax all materials to (202) 707-2076. If you do wish to send supporting audio-visual materials, please pack them in a three-dimensional box (not a flat box) with a lightweight filler, and send it via a service that offers a tracking number, such as Federal Express, USPS Express Mail, or DHL. (Note: Supporting materials will NOT be returned to the applicants.) To mail these parcels, use the address below and mark "Fragile." Library of Congress AFC 20540-4610 If you have any questions about procedures, please address your query to the Chair, Parsons Fund Committee at the email or fax listed above or call (202) 707-5510. 2008
2006
2004
The Blanton Owen Fund Award
The Blanton Owen Fund Committee at the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress accepts applications every other year. The next application period will begin in February, 2011. The award was established in 1999 in memory of folklorist Blanton Owen by his family and friends to support ethnographic field research and documentation in the United States, especially by young scholars and documentarians. Currently, this award is offered every other year. The application and submission procedure is the same as for the Parsons Fund Award, detailed above, except email applications should be given the subject line "[your last name] Owen application." For questions, contact the chair of the Blanton Owen Fund Committee at the American Folklife Center: (202) 707-5510; folklife@loc.gov; Fax (202) 707-2076. Past Recipients of the Blanton Owen Fund Award 2009
2007
2005
2001
Archie Green Fellowships
2010 awards announced: see the press release for more information, or scroll down for a list of recipients. Background To honor the memory of Archie Green (1917-2009), the pioneering folklorist who championed the establishment of the American Folklife Center (AFC) at the Library of Congress and was a scholar and advocate for the documentation and analysis of the culture and traditions that arise from and are passed on by American workers, a fellowship program has been established at the American Folklife Center. The Archie Green Fellowships will support new documentation and research into the culture and traditions of American workers and will create significant digital archival materials (audio recordings, photographs, motion pictures, field notes) that will be preserved in the Folklife Center's archive and made available to researchers and the public. Program Description The American Folklife Center will award up to three fellowships for the period February 2010 – February 2011 that will support new, original, independent field research into the culture and traditions of American workers and/or occupational groups found within the United States. Applicants must develop a project plan detailing the subject of the research and methods of digital documentation. The original documentary materials generated during the course of the fellowship will become part of the Folklife Center's Archie Green America Works Collection. Applicants must submit proposals to be received by the American Folklife Center no later than November 30, 2009. The term of each fellowship will be limited to a period of one year and will be supported with funds up to $45,000. Eligibility Requirements U.S. citizens are eligible to submit applications for a fellowship to support their new, original research on and documentation of occupational culture. Applicants may include individuals, organizations or groups. Occupational groups, labor unions or organizations may wish to involve folklife researchers for the purpose of undertaking fieldwork projects on their behalf. Selection Proposals for the Archie Green Fellowships will be evaluated by a committee that is composed of the Director of the American Folklife Center, Head of Research and Programs for the American Folklife Center, Head of the American Folklife Center archive, the Chair of the American Folklife Center Board of Trustees, and the Associate Librarian for Library Services at the Library of Congress. A summary of the proposals and a recommendation for selection will be provided to the Librarian of Congress, who will make the final selections. Expectations Fellows will provide the American Folklife Center with the original versions of documentary materials created during the course of the fellowship research. All documentation must be in digital formats as outlined below. The cost of creating secondary copies may be factored into the applicants’ research budgets. Fellows will submit completed informant releases and biographical data forms (provided by the American Folklife Center) as well as electronic logs for audio/video recordings and still photographs. Fieldnotes describing daily research activities through the course of the project will be submitted in digital form. These materials will become part of the Archie Green America Works Collection. Fellows will submit a final report and financial accounting to the American Folklife Center upon completion of the fellowship. In addition, Archie Green Fellows will offer a public lecture or presentation at the Library of Congress at the end of their fellowship year, to become part of the Archie Green Fellows Lecture Series. These lectures or presentations will be recorded to become part of the Archie Green America Works Collection. Fellows' travel expenses related to the lectures will be covered separately by the American Folklife Center. Request for Proposals Applicants for the 2010 Archie Green Fellowships at the American Folklife Center have been completed. Refer to this space for the 2011 award application period in the autumn of 2010.
Digital Document Requirements & Specifications: All fellows must comply with the AFC/LOC digital standards and, therefore, provide documentation in the following specifications: Digital audio: 96khz/24bit bwf (or .wav) file, or 44.1khz/16bit .wav file. Digital video: high-resolution digital video format (consult with AFC) Digital images: high-resolution digital images (consult with AFC) Text files (for logs, fieldnotes, final report, etc.): Microsoft Word Databases, spread sheets, etc.: consult with AFC Application Process and Deadlines:
Submit Materials to: Please email or FAX your submission, do not send via U.S. Postal Service. Email to: Archie Green Fellows Committee at mabu@loc.gov FAX to: Archie Green Fellows Committee at 202-707-2076 Fellowships Awarded: 2010:
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