Curatorial Research Fellowship: Inventing Newport: The Colonial City in History and Memory

Description

2025-2026 The Preservation Society of Newport County Curatorial Research Fellowship: Inventing Newport: The Colonial City in History and Memory

Job Summary

The Preservation Society of Newport County offers annual Residential Research Fellowships to scholars and emerging professionals, designed to provide dedicated time and resources for comprehensive projects relevant to the organization’s current needs in areas such as fine art, decorative art, material culture, landscape design, horticulture, social history, and historic preservation. The Preservation Society of Newport County Residential Fellowship is an opportunity to advance scholarship and gain specialized training/experience needed for future and emerging professionals seeking to pursue careers in academia, museums, historic preservation, historic houses and landscapes, or other cultural institutions.

Our Collections:

The Preservation Society of Newport County protects, preserves, and presents a remarkable collection of eleven historic house museums spanning the history of Newport from the Colonial period through the Gilded Age. Our properties include Hunter House (c.1748), Kingscote (1841), Chateau-sur-Mer (1852), Green Animals Topiary Garden (c.1860), Chepstow (1861), Isaac Bell House (1883), Marble House (1892), The Breakers (1895), The Breakers Stable and Carriage House (1895), The Elms (1901), and Rosecliff (1902). Housed within these architectural masterpieces are more than 60,000 artworks from all around the globe, dating from ancient times to the modern era.

Position Description

The 2025-2026 Curatorial Fellow will work closely with the Curator of Collections in support of the upcoming summer 2026 exhibition tentatively titled Inventing Newport: The Colonial City in History and Memory. Research in support of this exhibition will explore the texture of life in colonial and revolutionary Newport, in honor of the US semi quincentennial marking 250 years since the nation’s founding. The exhibit will also highlight how later generations of artists, writers, collectors, and activists shaped what we think about Newport’s colonial and revolutionary period, beginning with the commemorative fervor surrounding the US Centennial in 1876, continuing with the bicentennial of 1976, and concluding with present reconsiderations of the past by local contemporary artists.

Successful candidates will demonstrate an interest in American history, art, and material culture of the eighteenth through twentieth centuries, issues of collective memory, and a dedication to inclusive methods of research and exhibition development. the. Preference will be given to candidates who are able to demonstrate successful object-based research utilizing primary and secondary source materials, or who have specific experience contributing research and writing in support of an exhibition.

Fellows must have the ability to complete research in a clearly defined area of study on a timeline that will result in regular deliverables. Additionally, all Fellows must present a public lecture and write a 2,500-3,000-word essay based on their area of research. Proven ability to work independently, organize and manage multiple projects, and meet rigorous deadlines is necessary, as are strong research, writing, and public speaking skills.

Fellows must contribute to the overall dynamics of the Fellowship Program through a high level of engagement with fellow scholars, Preservation Society staff, and peer institutions in and around Newport. As such, in addition to the formal research project, the Fellow will be assigned participatory assignments that fall outside the project or project scope. Fellows thereby gain a holistic view of the complex collaborations that enable one of New England’s major non-profits to offer truly compelling opportunities to diverse audiences.  

Requirements

Basic Qualifications

In order to be considered for the 2025-2026 Curatorial Research Fellowship, Candidates must have a MA in Art History, American Studies, Anthropology, Historic Preservation, Material Culture, Social History, Museum Studies or related fields. The degree should have been conferred within five years from the start of the fellowship. Doctoral candidates conducting dissertation research will also be considered for residential Fellowships

Additional Qualifications and Skills

PhD preferred.

Curatorial or related experience preferred.

Dedication to exploring and promoting paths to understanding the social histories, individual works, and collections of the PSNC.

Proven ability to work independently, organize and manage multiple projects, and meet rigorous deadlines is necessary, as are strong research, writing, and public speaking skills.

Application Procedures

Please apply online with a cover letter indicating interest and suitability and a résumé or curriculum vitae. Complete applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, starting January 1, 2025.

Zoom interviews will be conducted with preferred candidates by March 1, 2025. Successful interview candidates will be asked to provide two academic or professional references, an academic writing sample, and one personal reference.

Selected candidates will be notified by April 1, 2025

Additional Information

The fellowship term is September 7, 2025, to August 15, 2025. Residential Fellows receive $24,000 in annual compensation, dedicated research and travel budget, and housing at no cost in the Berwind-Stautberg Scholars Center.

Salary : $24,000