DEADLINE EXTENDED TO February 28, 1996 Call for Proposals Fellowships in Museum Practice A professional development program dedicated to innovation in museum operations Designed specifically for experienced professionals, this program is supported by the Women's Committee of the Smithsonian Institution To survive and flourish, museums need staff who can deal with a rapidly changing environment. The Fellowships in Museum Practice program is designed to help museums meet these complex challenges. It offers outstanding individuals a rare opportunity to spend time in a stimulating setting exploring an idea, receiving and reacting to feedback, and developing plans for specific needs and resources. Proposals are welcome that relate directly to current museum concerns and hold the potential for applicability in daily work. Investigations that connect professional practices with public understanding and participation are encouraged. Proposals to study material culture or connoisseurship, to support an institutional project or graduate studies are not eligible for funds. Program structure Research projects are flexible and adaptable. Applicants propose their own topic for study, based on their experience, skills and learning needs. Fellows work collaboratively with Smithsonian sponsors who provide a framework for planning and implementing fellowship activities. Schedules are individually designed to match the requirements of the topic and to accommodate a fellow's work demands and those of his or her sponsor. Fellowships can range in duration from two months to a year. Twenty days, not necessarily consecutively, is the minimum residency requirement. A report describing the experience and its outcomes is required upon completion of the program. Eligibility Experienced professionals from all disciplines and functional areas of work in museums and allied institutions are eligible to apply. The award An award includes travel costs and a stipend to help defray expenses incurred during residency in Washington, DC. Funds to supplement the cost of participating in a conference or seminar that enhances the scope of a fellow's research will be considered also. The amount of support varies with the duration of the residency, the schedule and the distance an individual must travel. Stipends are computed on the basis of $500 per week; $4,000 is the maximum amount that can be provided. Deadline for Applications Applications are accepted until February 28, 1996 for projects beginning after October 15, 1996. Selections are announced in the summer 1996. For further information Contact Nancy J. Fuller, Center for Museum Studies MRC 427 Smithsonian Institution Washington, DC. 20560 USA or call 202- 357-3101; or by fax 202-357-3346. To receive application materials by e-mail Send a note to [log in to unmask] Bruce C. Craig Internet: [log in to unmask] Center for Museum Studies Smithsonian Institution A&I 2235-MRC427 Washington, DC 20560 (202) 357-3148 FAX:(202) 357-3346