ARLS UK & Ireland offers the following awards:
ARLIS/UK & Ireland – Global Majority Art Librarianship Scholarship 2023
ARLIS UK & Ireland (The Art Libraries Society) are pleased to open applications to the ‘fees only’ scholarship for an individual undertaking a UK accredited Library, Information, or Archive Studies postgraduate qualification as a small first step towards addressing the ongoing underrepresentation of Black library workers and library workers of colour within art librarianship. The scholarship is now in its second year and will be awarded annually (subject to financial stability), with details and the application form made available from the ARLIS UK & Ireland website.
We acknowledge that art librarianship in the UK and Ireland continues to be overwhelmingly white. The 2015 UK information sector workforce survey found the profession to be 96.7% white. This reinforces the urgency and importance of steps to increase global majority access to qualifications which often remain a prerequisite for entry to the profession and development to senior roles. While we do not uncritically support the need for a qualification to perform valuable work in libraries, we do believe that university fees are a significant barrier to entry for many. The scholarship is a key recommendation of the ARLIS Equity Steering Group, whose work we are grateful for.
We welcome applicants from Black, Asian or minority ethnic / Global Majority backgrounds. Students applying to any UK postgraduate (MA, MSc, PgDip, PgCert) course accredited by CILIP are eligible, but courses which include modules or studies relevant to art librarianship (such as placements at a member institution) may strengthen an application. Students applying for full-time, or part-time or modular courses are eligible, as are distance learning options. The successful applicant should be eligible for Home fees. Fees will be paid directly to the university.
Applications for the 2023-4 academic year are now open.
Deadline: 23.59 on Sunday 26th February 2023
Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application no later than: Friday 10th March 2023.
In addition to the fees award, ARLIS is keen to explore options to enhance the scholarship, such as by offering mentorship or a student placement at a relevant institution and would be happy to discuss this with the successful applicant. We would also encourage and support the successful applicant to consider contributing to the Art Libraries Journal or presenting at the ARLIS Annual Conference. While the amount of financial support offered is strictly limited to covering home fees up to a maximum of £12,000, we recognise that difficulties in circumstances may arise and where possible would seek to assist the successful candidate find additional opportunities if they struggled to continue their studies.
Selection will be based on the strength of the application. Evaluation criteria include how the award will benefit the individual, the interest and relevance of the study or research that will result from undertaking the qualification, and any wider benefits to libraries, librarianship, communities and society.
Please share widely with your networks and any eligible individuals who may be interested.
Enquiries can be directed to info@arlis.net.
Guidelines
- Membership of ARLIS is not a requirement but evidence of engagement with art libraries and archives will benefit an application.
- Employment or experience of working in art libraries and archives is not required.
- Current officers and Council members of ARLIS/UK & Ireland are eligible to apply however, Grant Panel members are not eligible.
- Applications for this round of the scholarship must be to commence study in 2023. The scholarship will be advertised again next year for entry in the 2023/4 academic year.
- Within six months of the commencing study, the recipient of the scholarship shall present a written reflection of 1000-1500 words to ARLIS Council, for publication on the ARLIS website.
- If an application is not successful, it may be resubmitted the following year.
- The Grants Panel may request further information or request clarification of details included in the application.
- The decisions of the Grants Panel and ARLIS Council shall be final, and no correspondence regarding them shall be entered into.
- If the successful scholarship applicant is not awarded a place on a university course or does not take it up, ARLIS Council may make the award to the runner up candidate. The original candidate can reapply the following year.
- ARLIS Council reserves the right to make no award if no suitable application is received.
ARLIS Research Awards
The ARLIS UK & Ireland Research Awards are made possible by the generosity of an anonymous donor and have been established to support the research activities of librarians, archivists and curators in the art, architecture and design documentation sector, and to open research opportunities to individuals from groups currently underrepresented. The awards are made annually, with details and the application form made available from the ARLIS UK & Ireland website.
The award may be used for any purpose related to the research into the documentation of art, art librarianship or archival practice and may include travel within or outside the UK and Ireland, event attendance, and visits to libraries, collections and institutions (excluding events organised by ARLIS UK & Ireland itself).
Value: two awards (Members Research Award & Non-members Research Award) of £1000 each
Deadline Friday 2nd December 2022 12:00.
Announcement of successful applications will be published on the ARLIS UK & Ireland Website 16th December 2022.
The 2023 Awards Panel will consist of:
Nick Brown, Ordinary Member ARLIS UK & Ireland Council
Morwenna Peters, Honorary Secretary ARLIS UK & Ireland
An Ordinary Member ARLIS UK & Ireland
Guidelines
Previous awards:
ARLIS Travel & Study Fund
ARLIS Travel and Study Fund 2019 information (Word)
2019 award winners
Hannah Dunne-Howrie, National Art Library, V&A Museum. Hannah attended the CILIP Copyright Conference.
You can read the report on her experience here.
Eleanor Gawne, Architectural Association School of Architecture. Eleanor attended the ARCLIB conference, in Venice, May 2019.
You can read the report on her experience here.
2018 award
The ARLIS/UK & Ireland Travel and Study Fund for 2018 was awarded to Alexandra Duncan, Central Saint Martins (UAL). Alex presented a paper at the ARLIS/NA 2018 Conference in New York.
You can read the report on her experience here.