pacc fellowship
The Professional Alliance for Curators in Community (PACC) strengthens the professional trajectory of early-career curators who face barriers to advancement. Through a cohort-based model of ten Fellows combining structured learning and intentional community building, the 2026–27 PACC Program brings an expanded commitment to equity and belonging in the curatorial field with particular focus on intersecting matters of gender, class, race, geography, and accessibility.
As a fully sponsored participatory program, PACC situates curatorial practice within a people-centered, care-based, early-career professional framework. Fellows join a community built on peer-to-peer cohort relationships, customized mentor pairings, AAMC Fellowship alumni engagement, and access to the AAMC Foundation’s broader network of over 1,300 curators. The Fellowship Program is conducted in English and largely based out of New York. Recruitment of Fellows is open to any self-defined early-career art curator, including independent curators and those working internationally. The Program is globally sensitive, acknowledging geopolitical realities in mobility for a field that experiences frequent movement and relocation due to employment needs.
There is no cost to apply or to participate in the program. With respect to each Fellow, PACC award public announcements are planned.
Program Score and Expectations
With supervisor approval (if relevant recognizing independent curators) of the Fellowship (September 2026 to May 2027), participants are expected to prioritize this opportunity with the AAMC Foundation, encompassing all components and without other competing commitments. They ask that you reconsider re-applying if you cannot commit at this level due to personal or professional obligations. This is crucial to ensure the immersive experience of the entire cohort.
The program consists of eight to ten full days of in-person professional development, in addition to four to five virtual half-day sessions as detailed below (ten to twelve days total):
Fall 2026: A two to three day in-person residency, New York City (days/evenings);
Fall 2026–Spring 2027: A mentor site visit (day/evening);
Winter/Spring 2027: four to five virtual intensive half-day sessions (two to three hours during Eastern Time business hours, GMT-5);
Spring 2027: three to four days Workshop and 2027 Art Curators Conference attendance, New York City (days/evenings).