MOIFA News:
SANTA FE — The Museum of International Folk Art (MOIFA) is pleased to announce the launch of its 2026 Summer Research Fellowship Program, offering scholars, researchers and public folklorists a unique opportunity to engage with the museums’ extensive collections and archives. This program invites applicants to spend 4-6 weeks in Santa Fe, New Mexico working on a research project related to MOIFA’s renowned folk art collection and MOIFA’s Bartlett Library and Archives collections.
This fellowship is designed to foster innovative research, creativity, and community engagement. Fellows will have the chance to collaborate with MOIFA staff, interpret diverse collections, and share their findings, reinforcing MOIFA’s role as a vibrant center for cultural exchange.
The 2026 summer program is set to run between June 1 and Aug. 31, with applications due by Nov. 17, 2025. Potential applicants are encouraged to explore the program’s details and project descriptions on the MOIFA website.
Fellows will receive a $2,500 honorarium, travel reimbursement (up to $1,000), and additional stipends for lodging and living expenses. They will benefit from dedicated workspace, access to collections, library and archives, and opportunities for community immersion and public engagement. “After a successful inaugural program this summer, we are pleased to announce the continuation of this important initiative in 2026”, said Museum of International Folk Art Executive Director Charlie Lockwood. “Through their projects, fellowship participants will not only explore their own research interests, but also aid in advancing understanding, responsible cultural stewardship, and collaborative community-centered approaches to our work”. 2025 Summer Fellow, Addison Nace, had this to say about the program: “The fellowship at MOIFA provided me with an intellectual home and community that I had never experienced—truly a dream come true. It provided me with the space to connect my work in community-based research to object histories and stories in the archives in a transdisciplinary manner.”
For application details and information about the fellowship and MOIFA’s collections, please visit the museum’s program website at: htps://moifa.org/learn/research-fellowship-program
The Museum of International Folk Art’s Summer Research Fellowship Program is made possible by the generous support of the International Folk Art Foundation and a gift from Susan and Steven Goldstein.
About the Museum of International Folk Art
The Museum of International Folk Art is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, under the leadership of the Board of Regents for the Museum of New Mexico. MOIFA’s mission is to shape a humane world by connecting people through creative expression and artistic tradition. Since its founding in 1953, the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe has amassed the largest collection of international folk art globally, over 163,000 objects representing artists and communities from over 160 countries. The museum aims to connect people through artistic traditions, providing extensive resources for research on folk art histories, techniques and artists. Programs and exhibits are generously supported by the International Folk Art Foundation, donor gifts through the Museum of New Mexico Foundation, and Friends of Folk Art.