Travel Grants for African Curators and Museum Directors

CIMAM invites African curators and directors of contemporary art museums to apply for a Travel Grant to attend CIMAM’s 2024 Annual Conference. The conference will take place in Los Angeles from December 6 to 8, 2024, and will be hosted by The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), the Hammer Museum at UCLA, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), with the generous support of the Getty Foundation.

> The deadline to apply is Sunday, June 9, 2024, at 23:00 hrs. CEST.

Thanks to Mercedes Vilardell, the Getty Foundation, and Eloisa Haudenschild, specific support is being provided to professionals from Africa, ensuring a diverse and inclusive representation at the conference.

This three-day event promises insightful discussions and networking opportunities for modern and contemporary art curators, directors, and museum professionals. Don’t miss this chance to be part of CIMAM’s 2024 Annual Conference and contribute to the advancement of contemporary art discourse.

Apply now and seize this opportunity to connect with peers from across Africa and around the world.

Apply Now for a Travel Grant

Benefits for CIMAM 2024 Travel Grantees

The CIMAM Travel Grant Program aims to support the curatorial and research development, representation, and international visibility of the directors, curators, and professionals of modern and contemporary art museums residing in the countries listed below through their attendance at the CIMAM 2024 Annual Conference where the most current concerns on contemporary art practices will be discussed.

Awarded candidates benefit from unique networking opportunities through interaction and exchange with international museum directors and peers. Travel grantees become Members of CIMAM for the term they have been awarded.

The CIMAM Travel Grant Program provides a network of support for professional development by promoting equality and participation of contemporary art professionals from different countries and regions of the world in the Annual Conference.

• Application Form
• 2024 Travel Grant Funders
• CIMAM 2024 Annual Conference
• CIMAM Travel Grant Selection Committee
• Questions at travelgrants@cimam.org

About the CIMAM 2024 in Los Angeles

Sustainable Futures
How? When? for Whom?
6 to 8 December 2024

The CIMAM 2024 Annual Conference will bring together an international roster of museum directors, curators, architects, artists, and visionaries who are transforming the field. Through keynote speeches and panel format presentations and discussions, the conference will engage colleagues at the forefront of the field who are thinking anew about the intersection of museological practice, climate/social change, and contemporary art, and forging new models of sustainable practice in the cultural sector. Artists are central to this change—in pushing the conventions by challenging notions of what is 'collected' and 'preserved'; in re-defining the possibilities of art in relation to community engagement; and in centering indigenous perspectives and belief systems that fundamentally question the proscribed definitions of art as well as our relationship to nature and ecology.

Crucially, the conference will foreground the importance of indigenous worldviews in discussions about the intersection of art, ecology, and practice, providing spaces to think about sustainability as community-led, custodianship versus ownership, and intellectual and philosophical frameworks for what a museum can be.

The conference's content will align with Southern California’s landmark arts event PST ART, which returns in September 2024 with more than 60 exhibitions from museums and other institutions across the region, all exploring the intersections of art and science, both past and present. Dozens of cultural, scientific, and community organizations will join the latest edition, PST ART: Art & Science Collide, with exhibitions on subjects ranging from ancient cosmologies to Indigenous sci-fi, and from environmental justice to artificial intelligence. PST ART is a Getty initiative. Conference delegates will have specially organized tours and the opportunity to engage with artists and curators participating.

→ Read about the conference abstract and program here.

Selection Process:

Travel grant applications are evaluated and conferred by CIMAM’s Travel Grant Committee, composed of members of the CIMAM Board.

Travel Grants will be conferred based on the assessment of the candidate’s genuine financial need, the potential benefit to their development and/or research, and the relevance of their field experience related to the objectives of CIMAM.

The CIMAM Travel Grant Selection Committee is committed to promoting fairness and non-discrimination in its selection process and strives to provide equal opportunities to all individuals, regardless of race, gender, religion, or other factors.

Candidates should clearly state their current country of residence. The CIMAM Travel Grant Committee will take into consideration the current country of residence, not the nationality, as the eligibility criteria unless stated specifically by the Travel Grant Funder.

What covers the CIMAM Travel Grant?

The grant aims to allow selected candidates to attend the CIMAM 2024 Annual Conference and access not only the speaker presentations but also all the activities scheduled during the 3-day conference such as the workshops, panels, and visits to the main contemporary art exhibitions in the city where the Annual Conference takes place.

The grant will cover the following:

• Conference registration. Includes access to all conference sessions, lunches, dinners, refreshment breaks, access to organized visits, and coach service to and from planned visits during the 3 conference days.
• Travel expenses (train, bus, or round-trip economy flight ticket).
• Four-night accommodation in one of the hotels recommended by CIMAM.
• CIMAM membership for the period awarded (until December 2025).

The distribution of funds is set on a case-by-case basis for each recipient.

CIMAM books and pre-pays all expenses directly (travel and accommodation) avoiding reimbursements to any grantee to facilitate accountability and tracking of the funds that CIMAM is accountable for.

The grant will not cover:

• Registration and expenses related to the pre and/or post-conference tour.
• Transportation to/from the airport, visa expenses, travel insurance.
• Any additional expenses such as mini-bar items, room service, telephone, etc.

Selected candidates should arrange their insurance and their entry visa to the country where the CIMAM Annual Conference takes place. While CIMAM will support the candidates’ visa application process, neither the Travel Grant Funder nor CIMAM will be held liable for the visa application process and outcomes, or any personal accidents, losses, or damage to the private property of any candidates.

Application Process:

Candidates are invited to complete an online application form and include a short résumé, a motivation statement, the list of exhibitions and publications produced in the last 5 years, and two letters or email messages of recommendation in support of the candidates - they should be issued by museum professionals or scholars who are familiar with their work and/or qualifications.

Current Members of CIMAM (2023-25) need to provide the names and contact details of 2 referees but are exempt from providing 2 letters or emails of recommendation.

Applicants will need to select for which Travel Grant Funder they want to apply for support.

Candidates should check before submitting a grant application if they are required to obtain a visa to enter the country where the CIMAM Annual Conference takes place and to ensure they are eligible to obtain the entry visa, and that it is a feasible process.

Successful candidates will need to complete an online Acceptance Form and agree with the Travel Grant’s standard Terms and Conditions, as well as the travel and accommodation arrangements.

Timeline:

CIMAM will follow the proposed calendar below, although some dates may be slightly adjusted:

• 29 April–9 June 23:00 hrs CEST: Open call for travel grants.
• 12 June – 30 June: Selection of candidates.
• 5 July: Beneficiaries are informed.
• 8 – 22 July: Travel and accommodation are arranged for grantees.
• 18 September 2024: Announcement of CIMAM 2024 Travel Grant Beneficiaries.
• 22 December 2024: Deadline for Travel Grant Beneficiaries to submit their written reports.

Becoming a CIMAM Ambassador:

When awarded a CIMAM Travel Grant, professionals become CIMAM Ambassadors and are invited to actively participate in CIMAM programs throughout the year. They will be expected to assist other professionals in their region wishing to join the CIMAM network by being their referees, encourage other professionals to apply for the Travel Grant Program and attend the Annual Conference, participate in the Rapid Responses Webinars and CIMAM Connects sessions as well as taking part in OMPA’s Award by identifying and nominating outstanding museum practices in their region. These events are unique opportunities to strengthen the international community of professionals promoting the best contemporary art museum practice.

Should you have any questions about your grant application or membership status please email us before submitting your application to travelgrants@cimam.org.