Denver, CO – December 2, 2025 – The Clyfford Still Museum opened applications for the 2026 Institute Residential Fellowship Program today. A committee of staff and external advisors will select six Fellows to engage with the Museum and its collections in Denver, CO, from July 1–31, 2026. The program focuses on three pillars of study: art, education, and social enterprise.
“The Institute Residential Fellowship represents the research arm of the Museum, encouraging innovation that draws upon the work and legacy of Clyfford Still in art, scholarship, and practice,” said Joyce Tsai, Clyfford Still Museum director. “During the Institute’s first two years, our talented Fellows illuminated new ways of seeing and doing, benefiting from the focus they could commit to their projects and from being embedded in an interdisciplinary cohort. We’ve been thrilled to see the successes our fellows have enjoyed after their time with us, finding new audiences for the discoveries they’ve made at the Museum. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply.”
Each Fellow will receive an honorarium, round-trip economy class travel to and from Denver, housing in Denver during the program, and workspace appropriate to the proposed project. The Fellows will also participate in a public symposium later in July.
The Museum will offer fellowships in the following areas:
- Studio Art: The Fellow will pursue studio practice that would benefit from research on and engagement with the Museum’s collection and/or archives.
- Art History or Criticism: The Fellow will engage with the Clyfford Still Museum’s collections and archives to illuminate the historical and philosophical stakes of Still’s art and writings, to bring his work in vibrant conversation with the work of his peers as well as those of subsequent generations, and/or find critical resonance between his work and that of contemporary artists.
- Early Childhood Education: The Fellow will develop projects that would benefit from and contribute to the practices in early childhood education pursued by the Museum’s Learning and Engagement team. Proposed projects would advance new possibilities at the intersections of art museums, education, and early learning.
- Social Enterprise: The Fellow will thoroughly investigate financial frameworks suitable for nonprofits and social enterprises that support organizational innovation, including initiatives at the Still.
The Museum will host several virtual and in-person information sessions in December and January for individuals interested in learning more about the Institute Fellowship. Applications are due by February 2, 2026. For more information or to apply, visit clyffordstillmuseum.org/institute.
“Our Institute Advisory Board has helped shape each cohort of the Fellowship, identifying those individuals who share a desire to transform our present and future by engaging deeply with the Museum and its collection,” said Tsai. “This year’s Fellows will join a growing alumni whose work ensures a living legacy for Clyfford Still.”
The Institute Advisory Board includes experts in art, education, and enterprise. The members include Harry Cooper, Bunny Mellon Curator of Modern Art, National Gallery of Art; Dr. Bridget Cooks, Professor of African American Studies and Art History, UC Irvine; Odili Odita, Artist and Professor of Painting at the Tyler School of Art and Art History, Temple University; Cristina Gillanders, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education, School of Education and Human Development, University of Colorado, Denver; Sharon Shaffer, Founding Director, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center, Routledge series editor, Global Perspectives on Children in Museums; Aaron Duke, Product Leader & Advisor; Claude Grunitzky, CEO and Managing Partner, Equity Alliance; and Dan Wang, Lambert Family Professor of Social Enterprise and Sociology at Columbia Business School and Co-Director of the Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise and Climate Change.
About the Clyfford Still Museum
Designed specifically to display Clyfford Still’s art, the award-winning Clyfford Still Museum is home to nearly everything he created, approximately 3,125 pieces representing 93 percent of his lifetime of work. The Museum supports new artistic endeavors, inviting visitors to draw strength from Still’s art and life. At the Still, visitors will find a world-class collection gifted to the City and County of Denver, award-winning architecture, cross-disciplinary programs for all ages, and opportunities to explore their own creativity. Exhibitions stimulate curiosity, arouse emotions, and explore multiple perspectives. The Still invites visitors to refresh, recharge, and reconnect with joy. Connect with the Clyfford Still Museum on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or at clyffordstillmuseum.org.
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