Archival Creators Fellowship Program (2024)



We are now inviting applications for the fifth cohort of SAADA's Archival Creators Fellowship Program. This year’s fellowship theme is intersections.

SAADA is at the forefront of advancing a community-driven approach to archival collecting, where archival work is done by and with the community, and not just for the community. Through the Archival Creators Fellowship Program, fellows partner with SAADA to create archival collections that reflect the histories and perspectives of marginalized groups within the South Asian American community. These include, but are not limited to, communities that are working class, undocumented, LGBTQ+, Dalit, Muslim, Indo-Caribbean, or otherwise excluded or overlooked in mainstream South Asian American narratives.

Three fellows will be selected for the 2024 cohort. This year's fellowship is made possible with support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Fellows will each receive a $5,000 stipend, $1,500 project budget, and $1,000 advisory group budget, along with travel expenses for the in-person convening in Philadelphia.

Eligibility
This fellowship program is open to all U.S.-based individuals with valid work authorization who are themselves members of the community they will be archiving, or in which they otherwise have deep existing relationships.

No formal archival training is necessary, but applicants should have a strong demonstrable interest and commitment to community memory and storytelling.

Application Timeline
August 10, 2023: Call for fellowship applications is made available online
October 1, 2023: Fellowship application deadline
Early-November 2023: Phone interviews with fellowship finalists
Mid-January 2024: Fellows are announced to the public

Fellowship Timeline
February 1, 2024 through July 31, 2024: Six-month fellowship period, which includes bi-weekly video calls with fellowship cohort and SAADA staff.
  • The fellowship will additionally have a required in-person convening in Philadelphia, February 3-4, 2024.

Fellowship Commitment
During the fellowship period, fellows will be responsible for:
  • Dedicating approximately 8-10 hours/week to your project over the duration of the fellowship period.
  • Participating in an in-person convening in Philadelphia.
  • Participating in bi-weekly video calls with fellowship cohort and SAADA staff.
  • Convening a community-based advisory group to support your project.
  • Conducting 10 oral history interviews and collecting related archival materials.
  • Developing an online exhibit for the SAADA website, including working with an artist to create original artwork for the exhibit.

Fellowship Support
Fellows will receive:
  • A stipend of $5,000 (paid in three installments over the fellowship period).
  • A budget of $1,500 to cover equipment costs, artist collaborators, and other project expenses.
  • A $1,000 budget to provide honoraria for community-based advisory group members.
  • Training on oral history methodology and digital archival practices from SAADA staff and advisors.
  • Support and guidance from SAADA staff and advisors throughout the duration of your project.

If you are eligible, and able to meet the requirements of the fellowship, please fill out the application form by Sunday, October 1, 2023 by 11:59pm (your local time zone). Please direct all questions and inquiries to fellowships@saada.org.

The application form is below. Please note, as the application form will not automatically save your information while in progress, we encourage you to enter application information into the Word version, then when completed, copy that over to the live application form below.

Meet our past fellows


Please note: The health and safety of our fellows and SAADA staff and advisors remains our primary concern and we continue to encourage COVID-19 safety in the undertaking of all fellowship activities.
The application for the 2024 cohort of SAADA's Archival Creators Fellowship is now closed.

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