November 1, 2016 Swann Foundation Now Accepting Fellowship Applications

Foundation Supports Research in Arts of Caricature and Cartoon

Press Contact: Donna Urschel (202) 707-1639
Public Contact: Martha Kennedy (202) 707-9115

The Caroline and Erwin Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon, administered by the Library of Congress, is accepting applications for its graduate fellowship for the 2017-2018 academic year. Applications are due by close of business on Friday, Feb. 24, 2017, and notification will occur in the spring.

The Swann Foundation seeks to award one fellowship annually (with a stipend of up to $5,000) to assist in ongoing scholarly research and writing projects in the field of caricature and cartoon. Depending on the number and quality of proposals, the advisory board may elect to make multiple smaller awards.

A fellow is required to be in residence in Washington, D.C., for a minimum of two weeks, use the Library’s extensive collections and deliver a public lecture at the Library on his or her work. Each fellow must also provide a copy of his or her dissertation, thesis or postgraduate publication upon completion for the Swann Foundation Fund files.

Guidelines and application forms are available through the Library’s website at loc.gov/rr/print/swann/swann-fellow.html or by calling Martha Kennedy in the Prints and Photographs Division at the Library at (202) 707-9115.

To be eligible, an applicant must be a resident of the United States and a candidate for a master’s or a doctoral degree at a university based in the United States, Canada or Mexico, working toward the completion of a dissertation or thesis for that degree, or engaged in postgraduate research within three years of receiving an M.A. or Ph.D. Individuals who are not U.S. residents but who otherwise meet the above academic qualifications may also apply and be considered for a fellowship, contingent upon the applicant’s visa eligibility.

The applicant’s research must be in the field of caricature and cartoon. There is no limitation regarding the place or time period covered. To encourage research in a variety of academic disciplines, there is no restriction on which university department may oversee a project proposed for the fellowship, provided the subject pertains to caricature or cartoon art.

Requirements for fellowship applications include a statement of qualifications, a one-page abstract of the proposed project, a project description that specifies research needs, a budget (see application form for details), two letters of reference, and official transcripts.

The Swann Foundation Fellowship in caricature and cartoon is one of the very few scholarly fellowships that provides direct support for continuing graduate research in the field. It has supported new, groundbreaking research on caricature and cartoon that focused on a variety of subjects and topics: these include the Cold War, the early Turkish Republic, representations of race, class conflict and disease, the early origins of caricature and political satire, child characters in early comic strips, cartoons as symbolic expressions of evolving national identity, and the cultural and social forces that have influenced the development of prominent cartoonists’ work. For a list of research projects that have been funded, visit loc.gov/rr/print/swann/swann-fellowslist.html.

The Caroline and Erwin Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon, administered by the Library of Congress in its Prints and Photographs Division, is overseen by an advisory board composed of scholars, collectors, cartoonists and Library of Congress staff members. The foundation’s activities support the study, interpretation, preservation and appreciation of original works of humorous and satiric art by graphic artists from around the world. New York advertising executive Erwin Swann (1906-1973) established the Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon in 1967.

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States—and extensive materials from around the world—both on site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov, and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.

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PR 16-195
2016-11-02
ISSN 0731-3527