arts initiative fellowship with u-m society of fellows

The Michigan Society of Fellows (MSF) invites applications to a new Arts Initiative fellowship it is piloting. Along with its customary six annual fellowships in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities, MSF will support one dedicated fellowship position in the arts for both the 2027–2030 and 2028-2031 fellowship terms. Founded in 1970 as a place for scholars and artists newly emerging from graduate school to pursue research and creative projects while participating in wide interdisciplinary conversation, the Society has long included artists among its fellows, and now seeks to be even more deliberately inclusive of artistic practice. For the first time, to increase arts applications, we will dedicate a seventh position expressly for a creative fellow.

This three-year, residential fellowship is open to candidates who have completed an MFA degree or comparable terminal degree in the arts since June 2024 and who wish to pursue creative work and research opportunities while teaching at a major research university. In its first pilot year, the Arts Initiative fellowship will be available in the following participating departments: 1) Creative Writing / English Department and 2) Film, Television, & Media. Applicants whose creative practice align with these fields are encouraged to apply.

Fellows are appointed as non-tenure-track Assistant Professors in appropriate departments and as Postdoctoral Scholars in the Michigan Society of Fellows for a three-year term to begin August 25, 2027. They teach the equivalent of one academic year of courses spread across the three-year fellowship term. The annual salary will be $63,000 plus an annual $3,000 research stipend.

The Society of Fellows and the University of Michigan recognize and value contributions to the processes of identifying and addressing the social, environmental, and technical challenges our societies and our planet face. We encourage applicants to comment in their creative proposal on how their research, teaching, service, creative practice, and outreach activities contribute to analyzing and tackling such challenges.