DEADLINE
February 16, 2026

Society of Fellows 2026-27 Theme 

What makes culture portable? How do cultural forms, objects, ideas and practices travel and adapt to contexts? What meanings arise from these forms in motion? What aesthetic strategies emerge from the pressures and challenges of transit? How do infrastructures — corporate, state, technological — shape or constrain cultural mobility? How do small forms — ephemera, fragments, micro-genres — travel, and what do they carry with them? How have local cultures responded to complex global challenges revealing local-global interdependences and responsibilities? How might the study of cultures in motion wield new social imaginaries and solidarities?

Contrary to past and present efforts to control cultural differences or prohibit mobility in pursuit of cultural stasis, this year’s Society of Fellows theme, Cultures in Motion, envisions culture as dynamic, resilient and resistant to fixity. To approach culture as a living practice is to envision cultural systems as historically situated, mediated, contentious and connected to relations of people and power. Whether through migration, mediation, aesthetic adaptation or digital infrastructures — motion is how culture circulates. ‘Motion’ in this context is not only a matter of physical transit or speed; it is a condition of social, affective, symbolic transformation. The circulation of cultural forms produces new layers of meaning and transforms social relationships — complex, sometimes contested, always in flux. 

The Society of Fellows invites projects that engage with the reach of cultural circulation across time and space and methodological considerations of scale, and how cultural exchanges acquire or do not acquire larger significance. Cultures in Motion welcomes a range of creative and cultural forms, such as cartography, cinema, culinary arts, dance, language arts, literature, music, pedagogy, photography, media, theatre, visual arts and others.

The Society of Fellows seeks to support projects that investigate cultural exchange through arts and humanities disciplinary and cross-disciplinary orientations and/or community-engaged methods and practices.

Eligibility and Release Time

Associate and full professors on all Ohio State campuses are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to associate professors for whom this support would facilitate promotion to full professor. Assistant professors who will have passed their fourth-year review at the start of the fellowship period are also eligible. Faculty must commit to being in attendance on the Columbus campus during the fellowship period so that they can participate fully in the monthly seminar, build community and attend related events.

During the fellowship period, and in accordance with college policy, faculty participating in the Society of Fellows will receive a two-course buyout, equivalent to 32% base salary and benefits. The Global Arts + Humanities will transfer these funds to the faculty member’s TIU. TIU heads will work with the faculty member to reduce service responsibilities in accordance with college guidelines and in line with unit needs. The fellowship may be taken concurrently with an Ohio State Faculty Professional Leave (subject to OAA approval). In such cases, the 32% release funds will be used to fund a special assignment with no teaching that may be combined with a one-semester FPL. 

In addition to the release funds as indicated above, fellows will also receive $4,000 in research funds to be used during the fellowship year (and no later than August 30, 2027).

Supplemental Mentoring Appointment

This year, we hope to appoint one SOF faculty fellow as a mentor to work with the SOF Graduate Team Fellows. In addition to a two-course release and $4,000 research stipend as an SOF faculty fellow, the faculty mentor will receive an additional $5,000 in supplemental pay. The faculty mentor will support graduate fellows in developing their own research and/or creative project, with administrative help from Global Arts + Humanities staff.  We expect to offer six graduate fellowships. The mentoring program requires that students meet with the faculty mentor once per month during the academic year.

Applicants interested in a supplemental student mentoring appointment should indicate interest by checking the appropriate box on the application form.

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted online, where applicants will be guided through the application process for their proposal type.

Submit electronic copies of the following materials:

1. A current curriculum vitae.
2. A list of the leaves and fellowships held in the past three years.
3. A 100-word abstract describing the project (research, creative, public-facing) the applicant will pursue during the term of the fellowship.
4. A brief statement (1,000-1,500 words) describing how your project engages the annual theme, your interest in participating in a multi-disciplinary research community and the specific contributions you would hope to bring to the cohort.
5. A sample of professional achievement (or scholarship or creative activity) related to the fellowship theme (one published article, book chapter or multimedia/video documentation of artistic practice).
6. A brief supporting letter from the department chair committing to adjust the applicant’s teaching and service responsibilities during the fellowship period. This letter should be submitted as part of application materials through via the application webform.

Evaluation Process

Proposals will be evaluated by a sub-committee of tenured faculty from the Global Arts + Humanities Advisory Committee.

Timeline

• Call for proposals issued: October 1, 2025
• Application deadline: February 16, 2026
• Fellowships announced: April 1, 2026
• Research funds released: August 1, 2026
• Fellowship appointment begins: August 15, 2026

Contact

Email questions to Global Arts + Humanities Associate Director, Puja Batra-Wells (batra-wells.1@osu.edu).

DEADLINE
February 16, 2026

Independent and academically-affiliated scholars and artists may apply for two-semester, nine-month Society of Fellows residencies (autumn 2026 and spring 2027). Scholars and artists are expected to work on their own scholarly, artistic, advocacy and/or policy-oriented work, as well as to engage Ohio State faculty and students by participating in a monthly seminar with other fellows, build community and attend related events. Fellows will be expected to teach one undergraduate course during the spring semester of 2027. Independent artists may pursue an aspect of creative leadership, professional development and/or research towards a project that engages the annual theme, Cultures in Motion. The residency does not support production or exhibition and does require teaching and participation in an interdisciplinary seminar with the other fellows. 

Society of Fellows 2026-27 Theme 

What makes culture portable? How do cultural forms, objects, ideas and practices travel and adapt to contexts? What meanings arise from these forms in motion? What aesthetic strategies emerge from the pressures and challenges of transit? How do infrastructures — corporate, state, technological — shape or constrain cultural mobility? How do small forms — ephemera, fragments, micro-genres — travel, and what do they carry with them? How have local cultures responded to complex global challenges revealing local-global interdependences and responsibilities? How might the study of cultures in motion wield new social imaginaries and solidarities?

Contrary to past and present efforts to control cultural differences or prohibit mobility in pursuit of cultural stasis, this year’s Society of Fellows theme, Cultures in Motion, envisions culture as dynamic, resilient and resistant to fixity. To approach culture as a living practice is to envision cultural systems as historically situated, mediated, contentious and connected to relations of people and power. Whether through migration, mediation, aesthetic adaptation or digital infrastructures — motion is how culture circulates. ‘Motion’ in this context is not only a matter of physical transit or speed; it is a condition of social, affective, symbolic transformation. The circulation of cultural forms produces new layers of meaning and transforms social relationships — complex, sometimes contested, always in flux. 

The Society of Fellows invites projects that engage with the reach of cultural circulation across time and space and that engage methodological considerations of scale, and how cultural exchanges acquire or do not acquire larger significance. Cultures in Motion welcomes a range of creative and cultural forms, such as cartography, cinema, culinary arts, dance, language arts, literature, music, pedagogy, photography, media, theatre, visual arts and others.

The Society of Fellows seeks to support projects that investigate cultural exchange through arts and humanities disciplinary and cross-disciplinary orientations and/or community-engaged methods and practices.

Salary and Benefits

Fellows in residence for two semesters during the academic year will receive $62,000 in salary plus benefits and a $4,000 professional development fund. Ohio State will cover expenses related to obtaining a visa, if needed. Ohio State will provide fellows access to a shared office space as well as library privileges and access to Ohio State instructional resources.

Responsibilities

Fellows will be appointed as postdoctoral scholars and are expected to work on their own scholarly, artistic, advocacy and/or policy-oriented work, as well as to attend a monthly seminar and related events. Fellows will also be expected to teach one undergraduate course in the spring semester.

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted through Workday, where applicants will be guided through the application process. Internal Ohio State applicants should apply via this posting. External applicants should apply via this posting (FORTHCOMING). All applicants must provide the following materials when submitting through Workday (LINK FORTHCOMING). 

Submit electronic copies of the following materials with Workday application:

1. A current curriculum vitae.
2. A sample related to the fellowship theme (one published article, book chapter or multimedia video documentation of artistic practice).
3. A 100-word abstract describing the project (research, creative, public-facing) the applicant will pursue during the term of the fellowship.
4. A brief statement (1,000-1,500 words) describing how your project engages the annual theme, your interest in participating in a multi-disciplinary research community and the specific contributions you would hope to bring to the cohort.
5. A proposal for an undergraduate course. This could be either a version of an existing course or a special topics course related to the applicant’s research, consisting of a brief course description (50 words), summary of topics/learning outcomes (up to 300 words) and a provisional list of required texts for the course, or a syllabus if the course has been previously taught.
6. Two reference letters. To preserve confidentiality, recommenders should directly email letters to Global Arts + Humanities Associate Director, Puja Batra-Wells (batra-wells.1@osu.edu).

Evaluation Process

Proposals will be evaluated by a sub-committee consisting of faculty from the Global Arts + Humanities Advisory Committee.

Timeline

• Call for proposals issued: October 1, 2025
• Application deadline: February 16, 2026
• Fellowships announced: April 1, 2026
• Research funds released: August 1, 2026
• Fellowship appointment begins: August 15, 2026

Contact

Email questions to Global Arts + Humanities Associate Director, Puja Batra-Wells (batra-wells.1@osu.edu).

DEADLINE
February 16, 2026

The Society of Fellows Graduate Team Fellowship is a financial award given by the Global Arts + Humanities to recognize the cross-disciplinary aspirations and academic accomplishments of graduate students in the Division of Arts and Humanities in the College of Arts and Sciences. This program brings together a cohort of graduate students whose projects align with our Society of Fellows’ annual theme of Cultures in Motion, and it awards each student a year-long fellowship. The fellowship is open to students whose projects engage critical and/or creative practices, as well as students who seek to foster the development of participatory networks with local Columbus communities. Graduate Team Fellows may be at any phase of their dissertation research or terminal degree project.

Society of Fellows 2026-27 Theme 

What makes culture portable? How do cultural forms, objects, ideas and practices travel and adapt to contexts? What meanings arise from these forms in motion? What aesthetic strategies emerge from the pressures and challenges of transit? How do infrastructures — corporate, state, technological — shape or constrain cultural mobility? How do small forms — ephemera, fragments, micro-genres — travel, and what do they carry with them? How have local cultures responded to complex global challenges revealing local-global interdependences and responsibilities? How might the study of cultures in motion wield new social imaginaries and solidarities?

Contrary to past and present efforts to control cultural differences or prohibit mobility in pursuit of cultural stasis, this year’s Society of Fellows theme, Cultures in Motion, envisions culture as dynamic, resilient and resistant to fixity. To approach culture as a living practice is to envision cultural systems as historically situated, mediated, contentious and connected to relations of people and power. Whether through migration, mediation, aesthetic adaptation or digital infrastructures — motion is how culture circulates. ‘Motion’ in this context is not only a matter of physical transit or speed; it is a condition of social, affective, symbolic transformation. The circulation of cultural forms produces new layers of meaning and transforms social relationships — complex, sometimes contested, always in flux. 

The Society of Fellows invites projects that engage with the reach of cultural circulation across time and space and that engage methodological considerations of scale, and how cultural exchanges acquire or do not acquire larger significance. Cultures in Motion welcomes a range of creative and cultural forms, such as cartography, cinema, culinary arts, dance, language arts, literature, music, pedagogy, photography, media, theatre, visual arts and others.

The Society of Fellows seeks to support projects that investigate cultural exchange through arts and humanities disciplinary and cross-disciplinary orientations and/or community-engaged methods and practices.

What Does it Mean to be a Graduate Team Fellow?

In addition to focusing on their own research (as mentored by their department faculty advisor), Graduate Team Fellows convene as a cohort to support each other’s evolving research and develop cross-disciplinary methodologies and understandings in their work. Graduate Team Fellows will be mentored by a Global Arts + Humanities Faculty Fellow with expertise in cross-disciplinary arts and humanities methods and practices.

Award Conditions

The Graduate Team Fellowship offers three consecutive semesters (autumn, spring, summer) of tuition and fees and a monthly stipend of $2,682. The award includes travel and research support up to $500. Support also includes payment of general/instructional fees, tuition and any learning/technology fee. Special fees, such as COTA, recreational facility, Student Union and study activity fees are not included. Graduate Team Fellows may not hold any other type of employment or appointment during the time of the fellowship.

Eligibility

1. Must be a doctoral student or student in a three-year terminal degree program (e.g., MFA) in the Division of Arts and Humanities of the College of Arts and Sciences.
2. Must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.6 for all Ohio State graduate courses.
3. This is a residential fellowship. Fellows must maintain residency in Columbus, Ohio, for the duration of the award and attend all in-person meetings as scheduled.

Fellowship Obligations

The Graduate Team Fellowship requires fellows to meet with each other and an assigned faculty mentor for two hours once per month during the autumn and spring semesters to help advance cross-disciplinary understandings, build community and attend related events.

How to Apply

All proposals must be submitted online, where applicants will be guided through the submission process for their proposal type.

Submit electronic copies of the following materials:

1. A complete curriculum vitae.
2. A brief statement (two single-spaced pages) that:
   1. Describes your creative or scholarly project.
   2. Specifies how much of the project you have already completed.
   3. Describes how the project engages the 2026-27 Society of Fellows’ theme: Cultures in Motion.
   4. Describes the work that the fellowship will allow you to complete.
3. A letter of support from your advisor that conveys the advisor’s appraisal of the project’s progress and benefit of participating in a multi-disciplinary research community, relevance of the project to the field of study, your unique contribution, and the value of the fellowship to your overall graduate pursuits. Advisors should email the letter directly to Global Arts + Humanities Associate Director Puja Batra-Wells (batra-wells.1@osu.edu).
4. If your project involves a community partnership, it is highly recommended that you provide an additional letter of support from the community partner.
5. A current transcript and/or academic advising report.

NOTE: No ancillary materials, such as DVDs or CDs, will be accepted. Web addresses linking to ancillary materials may be included as appropriate in the research statement.

Evaluation Process + Criteria

1. Applications will be evaluated by a sub-committee of the Global Arts + Humanities  Advisory Committee, which is comprised of senior members of the graduate faculty.
2. The advisory committee will consider all the required information presented in support of the application. Evaluation will focus on the quality of the research or creative project proposed; the project’s link to the Society of Fellows annual theme, Cultures in Motion; potential benefit of the applicant’s participation in and contribution to the multi-disciplinary cohort; and the student’s ability to undertake the dissertation or degree project within the fellowship tenure as evaluated primarily by scholars outside the nominee’s area of study.

Timeline

• Fellowship call issued: October 1, 2025
• Application deadline: February 16, 2026
• Fellowships announced: April 1, 2026
• Fellowship award period begins: Autumn 2026

Contact

Email questions to Global Arts + Humanities Associate Director, Puja Batra-Wells (batra-wells.1@osu.edu).

DEADLINE
April 1, 2026

The Undergraduate Fellows Program is designed for advanced undergraduates engaging in thesis projects, independent study courses or other in-depth research projects (including creative and performance projects) in arts and humanities disciplines. The program will support fifteen fellows throughout the research process and provide an opportunity for them to learn from peers in other disciplines.

For those students whose research aligns with the Global Arts + Humanities Society of Fellows annual theme, Cultures in Motion, students will have opportunities to engage with Society of Fellows programming throughout the academic year. Note: Alignment with this theme is not required to apply for this fellowship.  

Who Should Apply?

Advanced undergraduate students undertaking a cross-disciplinary research project in an arts and humanities discipline during the 2026-27 academic year. Research projects may include an undergraduate thesis, independent study or other in-depth research project (including creative and performance projects). 

What Does the Fellowship Involve?

Student fellows will meet monthly (September through April) in cohorts to learn core research skills and practices and engage in shared research experiences with other fellows. This will include eight 90-minute sessions in total. Fellows will also meet individually with their University Libraries faculty mentor or other University Libraries experts (subject librarians, curators, archivists, specialists, etc.) each month to receive additional guidance on their research projects. The program is designed to support the work fellows will be doing, not to be additional work.

How Will This Benefit Me?

• You will receive expert guidance and mentoring in learning research skills and practices to support  your research project.
• You will develop a network of peers in other disciplines through participating in a cohort.
• You will gain experience developing proposals and presentations on your research for events, such as the Denman Undergraduate Research Forum.
• You will join a community of young scholars at Ohio State and learn about opportunities for presenting and publishing your research.
• You will receive a total of $1,000. Funds ($500) disbursed each semester.

How to Apply

Complete the fellowship application by April 1, 2026, and have your advisor submit a brief letter of support to the program coordinator Craig Gibson, by the same deadline. Successful applications will include a clear description of the research project aims and how you will benefit from the program.

Contact

Email questions to Program Coordinator Craig Gibson (gibson.721@osu.edu).

DEADLINE
March 13, 2026

Purpose 

In collaboration with the Office of the Vice Provost for the Arts, the Global Arts + Humanities | Cross-Disciplinary Research Exchange announces its 2026-27 Arts Creation Grants competition to foster new, impactful, arts-led research and creative work aligned with the theme, Cultures in Motion.

Theme

Cultures in Motion foregrounds culture as fluid, resilient and resistant to fixity — challenging historical and ongoing efforts to contain cultural difference or restrict movement in favor of cultural stasis. In this context, ‘motion’ is not only about physical transit — it is a condition of social and symbolic transformation, often rendered visible and experienced through artistic expression. Creative cultural forms — including, but not limited to cartography, cinema, culinary arts, dance, language arts, literature, music, pedagogy, photography, media, theatre, visual arts and others — serve as both mediums and sites where meaning is produced, identities are shaped and social relations are fostered. Proposals that engage the circulation of creative forms across time, space and scale, with attention to how cultural exchanges gain broader social, political or symbolic significance are invited. 

Eligibility

Faculty (including lecturers) and staff can apply. Proposals must be submitted by teams of two or more collaborators. A tenure-track faculty team leader or PI from an arts or arts-affiliated unit in the College of Arts and Sciences (Art; Arts Administration, Education and Policy; Dance; Design; History of Art; Music; or Theatre, Film and Media Arts) must be identified. If the project involves human subject research, all collaborators should have PI status through the Ohio State Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge, and the proposal must include verification that IRB approval has been (or is being) sought.

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted online, where applicants will be guided through the application process for their proposal type.

Proposal Guidelines

1. Proposals ranging from $5,000-$50,000 will be accepted. Proposals must articulate the space of their critical intervention in alignment with the annual theme of Cultures in Motion.
2. A concise (two-page) CV of all proposers must be included, as well as a letter of support if community organizations are involved.
3. Proposals should run no more than six double-spaced pages, exclusive of all supporting addenda (letters of support, two-page team CVs and budgets). Proposals should explain the project’s relevance and impact in alignment with the theme; outline a plan for meaningful involvement of students; note opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaborations; and include a plan for the dissemination of the work.
4. Proposals may request cash allocations for such items as artistic materials and services; exhibitions, performances, concerts, symposia and publications in multiple media platforms; guest artist workshops; travel necessary for the collaboration or touring of arts/tech outcomes; research or performance-based research; innovative teaching and learning opportunities; documentation (e.g. archives, podcasts, videos, website development); student support, including undergraduate scholarships; GA tuition and fees; course releases for tenure-track faculty (at the lecturer rate) or off-duty (summer) salary for faculty; and hourly supplemental pay for lecturers. Depending on the scope of their contribution to the project, PIs may be awarded research stipends. These allocations should not exceed 10% of the total award received. These suggestions are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Proposers are encouraged to be visionary and imaginative in thinking about possible applications of funds.
5. Indicate the potential of the proposed initiative to secure extramural (non-Ohio State)  funding, and please note if any additional funding has already been secured. Sources of funding may be identified using this Enterprise for Research, Innovation, and Knowledge resource.

Evaluation Process + Criteria

A subcommittee of the Global Arts + Humanities Advisory Committee will assess each proposal and engage the lead PIs in a follow-up discussion if greater clarity about the proposal is needed. 

Criteria

1. Cross-disciplinary relevance and impact: Does the proposal imagine a creative intervention (product, expression, practice, curriculum, etc.) that foregrounds an engagement with the theme?
2. Student involvement: How will the proposal meaningfully engage students and positively impact their educational experiences and/or professional development (undergraduate student opportunities or internships, graduate student experiential learning, the involvement of student groups and organizations, etc.)?
3. Meaningful collaboration: How does the project facilitate cross-disciplinary work among faculty, students and/or community stakeholders? Does the proposal demonstrate that all partners are collaboratively involved in the design and implementation of the proposed work?
4. Institutional ecology and networks: To what extent does the proposal build on existing initiatives, resources and expertise? Does the project build on new or established local, national and/or international networks or collaborations? What kinds of consultation have already taken place or are planned?
5. Extramural funding: What is the proposed program’s potential for securing extramural (non-Ohio State funding)?

Timeline

• Fellowship call issued: October 1, 2025
• Application deadline: March 13, 2026
• Fellowships announced: April 15, 2026
• Awards released: June 30, 2026

Contact

Email questions to Global Arts + Humanities Associate Director, Puja Batra-Wells (batra-wells.1@osu.edu).

DEADLINE
March 13, 2025

Purpose 

The Global Arts + Humanities | Cross-Disciplinary Research Exchange — in collaboration with the Office of Engagement in the College of Arts and Sciences — announces a special grants initiative around the theme of Cultures in Motion. This grants initiative supports public-facing, community-engaged projects that explore how cultures circulate across local and global contexts. Designed to seed new efforts or sustain ongoing initiatives, these awards invest in projects that deepen the university’s capacity for transformative partnerships. Emphasizing cross-disciplinary collaboration, the grants center arts and humanities methods, practices and perspectives to foster meaningful, long-term community engagement. 

Applicants may request a total investment ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. Projects may span one to two years; however, funds will be disbursed in a single lump sum.

THEME | Cultures in Motion 

This grant envisions culture as dynamic, resilient and resistant to fixity. To approach culture as a living practice is to envision cultural systems as historically situated, mediated, contentious and connected to relations of people and power. Whether through migration, mediation, aesthetic adaptation or digital infrastructures — motion is how culture circulates. ‘Motion’ in this context is not only a matter of physical transit or speed; it is a condition of social, affective, symbolic transformation. The circulation of cultural forms produces new layers of meaning and transforms social relationships — complex, sometimes contested, always in flux. 

This grant supports community-engaged scholars and practitioners whose work explores — or actively participates in — processes of cultural circulation. It welcomes a broad spectrum of creative and cultural expression, including cartography, cinema, culinary arts, dance, language arts, literature, music, pedagogy, photography, media, theatre, visual arts and others. Projects grounded in reciprocal collaboration with community partners, whether through research, creative practice or pedagogy, are strongly encouraged. Methodologies that are participatory, practice based or co-creative are particularly welcome.

Eligibility 

Ohio State faculty (including lecturers) and staff can apply. A tenure-track faculty team leader (with PI status) from the College of Arts and Sciences must be identified (including at least one team member being tenure-track Division of Arts and Humanities faculty). A community partner must also be identified as a co-investigator. If the project uses human subjects research, all collaborators should have PI status through the Office of Research, and the proposal must include verification that IRB approval has been (or is being) sought. Previously-funded projects are eligible to apply, provided they demonstrate continued growth, impact or a new phase of development.

For this grant, a ‘community partner’ is broadly defined to include a wide range of collaborators or constituencies, such as a single school or school district, local community businesses, non-profit or governmental organizations, student organizations aligned with a community need, neighborhood or professional associations or faith-based organizations.

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted online, where applicants will be guided through the application process for their proposal type.

Proposals must be submitted as double-spaced PDF documents in 11pt font with standard paper size and margins and run no more than six double-spaced pages — exclusive of all addenda (letters of support, two-page team CVs and budgets). The title page should include the following: 

• Line one: Descriptive project title
• Line two: Name of contact PI/units (each proposal may have no more than two project leaders, one of which must be a tenure-track faculty member)
• Line three: Name of community partner(s)

Criteria

The proposal must provide the following information, which will also be used as evaluation criteria: 

1. Community challenge: Describe the community need/challenge to which the project responds and the process of community involvement in identifying the need/challenge and envisioning responses.
2. Aspirations and goals: Describe project aspirations and goals and outline an assessment plan to monitor progress and evaluate achievement of project goals. Note: Existing projects must include background information, including goals, community impact and how the investment will enhance sustainability.
3. Integrated arts and humanities: Describe how the project addresses the community need/challenge through integration of arts and humanities orientations, methods and practices.
4. Institutional ecology and networks: Indicate how the project will build on existing initiatives, resources and expertise, including evidence of the prior experience and/or relevant community-engaged scholarship of the project director(s) related to the proposed project.
5. Itemized budget: In addition to budget allocations, this document should also include a list of future external funding opportunities.
6. Endorsements: Letters from department chair and community partners.

Proposal Guidelines

1. Budget: Applicants may seek investments from $10,000 to $50,000. Project budgets may be planned over a one- to two-year period.

2. Use for Funds: Proposals may request annual cash allocations for community programs, consultations, venue rentals, materials and equipment, documentation (including marketing and website support) and participant stipends. Proposals may request student support in the form of small grants and/or GA tuition and fees. Course releases for tenure-track faculty (at the lecturer rate) or supplemental or off-duty pay of $5,000 (for the labor equivalent to that of one course release) are eligible, as are post-doctoral researcher positions, hourly supplemental pay for lecturers and lecturer travel. 

   Depending upon the scope of their contributions to the project, Ohio State faculty and staff collaborators can be allocated between $500 to $2,000 in cash as a research stipend. Project leaders are also eligible for research stipends. These suggestions are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Proposers are encouraged to be visionary and imaginative in thinking about possible application of funds. If partnerships are with for-profit institutions, an explanation of how the partner will cost share (including in-kind contributions) is required. Budget requests should be highly detailed, cost efficient and commensurate with potential for community and university impact.

3. Project teams: Proposals must be submitted by teams of collaborators. A tenure-track faculty team leader (with PI status) from the College of Arts and Sciences must be identified (including at least one team member being tenure-track Division of Arts and Humanities faculty). A community partner must also be identified as a co-investigator. Concise, two-page CVs of all PIs must be included. They must include an explanation of the project’s relevance and impact as well as a vision for meaningful involvement of community partners and the university community.
4. Community partner(s): Proposals must include letters of commitment from the community partner(s). Community partners are expected to be co-designers of the project and may be compensated for their collaboration. Depending upon the scope of their contributions to the project, community collaborators can be allocated between $500 to $5,000 in the form of facilitation or consultation fees. Please note that this compensation must be allocated from awarded grant monies.
5. Ethics and reciprocity: Proposals must demonstrate that all partners are substantially involved in the design and implementation of the proposed work and include a brief description of the roles of each of the PIs and partner and a plan for a sustainable university-community partnership, transition of the project to a community partner or meaningful exit plan at the culmination of the partnership.
6. Letter of support (Ohio State): A letter of support from the chairperson of the faculty leader’s department attesting to the department’s willingness to provide administrative support for the management of funds through the department’s fiscal officer. Alternatively, fiscal management may be distributed across PIs’ department fiscal officers.
7. Extra-mural support: Please note if any additional funding has already been secured. Sources of funding may be identified using this Enterprise for Research, Innovation, and Knowledge resource. Proposals should indicate the potential of the initiative to secure extramural (non-Ohio State) funding.

Timeline

• Call for proposals issued: October 1, 2025
• Application deadline: March 13, 2026
• Target date for decisions: April 15, 2026
• Funds to be released: June 30, 2026

Contact

Email questions to Global Arts + Humanities Associate Director, Puja Batra-Wells (batra-wells.1@osu.edu).

DEADLINE
March 13, 2026

Ohio State faculty are invited to submit proposals for a Discovery Field School Grant. Field schools are faculty-led, interdisciplinary, experiential-learning programs. These can be offered as a one-credit undergraduate course or group independent study that takes students to domestic destinations to learn about the transformational value of the humanities and the arts. By immersing students in learning environments, field schools aim to close the gap between knowing and doing. This round of grants is for field schools implemented either during spring and autumn 2027. 

Renewable annual grants of up to $15,000 will be awarded for field schools that deepen student cross-disciplinary engagement and experiential learning in arts and humanities.

Faculty Leaders

Discovery Field Schools are led by tenure-track faculty. Lecturers, postdoctoral researchers and staff may co-lead a field school as long as the primary leader is a tenure-track faculty member. It is expected that an approved field school will be offered two times over a period of three years. Lecturers interested in proposing a field school must be on a multi-year contract to fulfill this obligation. Each field school is approved with the understanding that approval is attached to the individual faculty member or pair of faculty members leading the field school. If the field school is to be offered with a different instructor(s) or for an additional cycle, it must be resubmitted for funding approval.

Faculty Compensation

Faculty leaders are provided $2,500 in cash as research funds for the initial field school offering and $1,500 in cash as research funds for the second offering. If two faculty members lead a field school, each leader will be provided $2,000 per the initial field school offering and $1,000 in research funds for the second time it is offered. This compensation is not part of the budget for the project.

Course Offering

Discovery Field Schools are offered during the autumn and spring semesters, with travel occurring during the semester the field school is offered. The immersive learning experience, including travel to and from the learning site, should last between three and seven days. Faculty are responsible for course creation with the registrar and are encouraged to schedule field schools to correspond with semester breaks to try to forestall students missing their regularly scheduled courses. However, if a field school should require students to miss their other classes, the Global Arts + Humanities will provide an official letter for students to share with their instructors to excuse them from classes during the field school.

Course Requirements

Discovery Field Schools have three core components: 1) A pre-travel assignment designed to prepare students for their immersive-learning experience; 2) A three-to-seven-day travel experience; and 3) A post-travel assignment designed to prompt students to reflect deeply on their immersive-learning experience. All assignments should be commensurate with a one-credit course.

Course Enrollment

A minimum enrollment of four undergraduate students is required to run a field school. The maximum enrollment is twelve undergraduate students.

Learning Sites

Discovery Field Schools are reserved for immersive-learning experiences at sites within the United States.

Community Partner(s)

Discovery Field Schools are conducted in coordination and collaboration with one or more community-based partner(s) at a learning site. The extent of the coordination and the nature of the collaboration should reflect the field school’s expressed student learning outcomes. Community partners should also be willing to collaborate with the field school for at least two years so that the field school can be offered twice during a three-year period. Community partners can be compensated for the collaboration. Please note that this compensation must be allocated from awarded grant monies.

Student Application Process

Students apply for a Discovery Field School by submitting a copy of their transcript and a 250-word essay explaining their interest in the field school and their expected outcomes from participating if selected. The field school faculty leader is responsible for advertising the field school on relevant university platforms, soliciting and reviewing applications and selecting applicants. Graduating seniors must contact the course faculty leaders to verify their eligibility.

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted online, where applicants will be guided through the application process for their proposal type.

1. Narrative description of proposed field school (one page), including:
   1. Learning site rationale: A description of the field school learning site, along with a rationale for the learning site as a destination for an immersive educational experience.
   2. Community partner rationale: A description of field school community partner(s), with an explanation of the partner’s relevance to the field school, commitment to coordinate and collaborate with the field school and likelihood of engaging in a sustained relationship with the field school.
2. Course plan (up to five pages):
   1. Student learning objectives: A description of the primary learning objectives for students who participate in the field school.
   2. Documentation: A description of the form of documentation (e.g., performance, podcasts, videos, blogs, website, publication and performance) that the field school will produce, which can be featured on the Global Arts + Humanities website.
   3. Course requirements: A description of the pre- and post-travel assignments, with an explanation of how the assignments will facilitate connections between the learning site and course objectives.
   4. Faculty leader biography: A description of the field school leader’s professional background, with an explanation of what makes them uniquely qualified to lead the proposed field school.
   5. Itinerary: A draft itinerary chronicling the order of activities at the field school learning site.
3. Itemized budget (up to two pages): An estimated cost of transportation to, from and at the learning site; cost of food and lodging; and fees for learning experiences/excursions. The budget should also include estimated costs for associated administrative fees and/or honoraria for community partners.
4. Letter of commitment from community partner(s): A letter from community partners attesting to their willingness to coordinate and collaborate with the field school on a multi-year basis.
5. Letter of administrative support from department chairperson: A letter of support from the chairperson of the faculty leader’s department attesting to the department’s willingness to provide administrative support for the field school through the department’s course enrollment manager and fiscal officer. Field schools do not count toward a faculty member’s regular course load. The stipend constitutes compensation for the additional one-credit course with the usual semester course load maintained.

Timeline

• Call for proposals issued: October 1, 2025
• Application deadline: March 13, 2026
• Target date for decisions: April 15, 2026

Contact

Email questions to Global Arts + Humanities Associate Director, Puja Batra-Wells (batra-wells.1@osu.edu).

DEADLINE
March 13, 2026

Purpose 

To advance the mission and goals of the Global Arts + Humanities by enhancing the professional development of graduate students (MFA, DMA, PhD) through their collaboration in cross-disciplinary research, educational programming and community-engagement initiatives in the arts and humanities.

These Graduate Professional Development positions aim to:

• Embed graduate students in humanities and arts MFA, DMA or PhD programs in university entities or initiatives involved in cross-disciplinary research/creative work to facilitate the student’s professional development.
• Establish a mentoring framework that will guide the student’s engagement, illustrate best practices and thresholds for achievement and hone praxis-based skills. 

Award Conditions

1. Proposals may request funding for a Graduate Professional Research Associate position at 25% for one-to-three semesters, beginning summer 2026 or autumn 2026. Aligned with Graduate Research Associateships, these positions will follow the same guidance and policies established by the Graduate School (Section 9.2, Terms of Appointment, Reappointment, or Termination). The university establishes a minimum stipend for GRAs of $4,820 for a semester-long, 25% appointment with an average load of ten hours per week over the duration of the appointment period. Graduate Professional Research Associates may not hold an appointment for more than 75% time as a combination of appointments. The Global Arts + Humanities will cover 50% tuition and fees associated with a 25% appointment if the candidate holds no other appointments.
2. These positions may be distributed across one-to-three semesters. Hiring units must undertake their own searches to make these appointments. The search should include a detailed description of 1) The roles/tasks that the graduate student will undertake as part of their contribution to the relevant project, 2) How the role will contribute to their professional development, and 3) The types of mentorship that will be made available.

Eligibility

Department, center, institute or program chairs and directors may apply for these grants to advance existing or new cross-disciplinary initiatives. Graduate students are not eligible to apply for these awards directly. Previously funded Global Arts + Humanities projects that have identified new opportunities for graduate student professional development are eligible to apply for these funds.

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted online, where applicants will be guided through the application process for their proposal type.

Proposal Guidelines

Department, center, institute or program chairs and directors are invited to submit proposals that:

1. Align with the Global Arts + Humanities’ mission and clearly explain the position’s relevance and impact for the department, center, institute or program in terms of its contributions to cross-disciplinary research and/or community engagement and education in the arts and humanities. Proposals may request a Graduate Professional Research Associate at 25% for one-to-three semesters to work with department, center, institute or program chairs/directors and staff to implement this vision. Proposals should run no more than six double-spaced pages.
2. Include a precise job description detailing a meaningful vision for the graduate student’s professional development and its relevance to academic and/or alt-ac career possibilities. Proposals must also describe how the position will encourage the engagement of diverse perspectives and audiences.
3. Describe the forms of outcomes (performance, podcasts, videos, blogs, website, catalogue/database, publication, curriculum, etc.) that the project aims to produce and the graduate student’s role in helping to achieve these deliverables.
4. Include a plan for mentoring the graduate student to achieve demonstrably cross-disciplinary research or educational goals. Note that grant recipients and their mentees will be required to submit an end-of-year report which will be reviewed by the Global Arts + Humanities faculty director. Department, center, institute or program chairs/directors who apply will serve as the graduate student’s mentor and point of contact for communications with the Global Arts + Humanities for the duration of the appointment.

Evaluation Process + Criteria

1. Cross-disciplinary relevance and impact: Does the proposal identify the contributions that the position will enable for the hiring unit? Do these align with the Global Arts + Humanities’ mission in terms of its contributions to cross-disciplinary research and/or community engagement and education that amplify the value of arts and humanities methods and practices?
2. Imagined outcomes: Does the proposal offer a clear description of the activities the graduate student will engage in, the professional skills that will be cultivated thereby and the potential career relevance of these? For example, the student might play a role in delivering services (such as training or consultation), creating a resource or product (such as a curriculum, a catalogue or a performance) or supporting an organization (such as writing a grant, designing a community partnership or managing a journal).
3. Mentoring plan: Does the proposal envision meaningful involvement of faculty mentors and provide a clear description of the mentoring process for the graduate student? 

Timeline

• Call for proposals issued: October 1, 2025
• Application deadline: March 13, 2026
• Target date for decisions: April 16, 2026

Contact

Email questions to Global Arts + Humanities Associate Director, Puja Batra-Wells (batra-wells.1@osu.edu).

Co-Sponsorship Opportunities

Global Arts + Humanities co-sponsorships provide support for events that align with the GAH mission and core goals.

Sponsorship requests may not exceed $500. Student applications must include a letter of support from a tenure track faculty member from the Division of Arts and Sciences. Requests are accepted on a rolling basis and are reviewed by the Global Arts + Humanities Leadership Committee. These requests must be submitted using the tool below  -  no less than 21 days before the event.

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