The Brown Foundation Fellows Program is offered by The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. It offers residencies to mid-career professionals in the arts and humanities, including writers. The residencies last between one and three months and take place at The Dora Maar House in Ménerbes, France.
The Dora Maar House
The property was purchased in 1944 by Pablo Picasso for Dora Maar, his companion and muse. It is located in the beautiful walled village of Ménerbes in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of south-eastern France. The population is approximately 1,100. Many readers may be familiar with Ménerbes through the work of British writer Peter Mayle. Mayle’s autobiographical A Year in Provence documents his move to a 200-year-old stone farmhouse in the village.
Facilities at the Dora Maar House include four private bedrooms with ensuites, and three studies for writers and scholars. There is a large communal kitchen, living space, dining room and library, as well as two garden areas. Wi-fi access is available, as is a printer. The Dora Maar House is a non-smoking environment.
Who Can Apply
The Brown Foundation Fellows Program is open to writers, scholars and other artists. Candidates are expected to have an established career in their field, with the fellowship providing them with time to concentrate on their area of expertise.
Candidates can be from around the world. Recent writers who have been accepted into the program include Irish short fiction writer Seamus Scanlon, American novelist Maud Casey, and Russian-born screenwriter and playwright Marina Shron.
The Fellowship
The program offers residential fellowships lasting for between one and three months. The successful candidates receive:
- travel expenses to and from Dora Maar House
- reimbursement for reasonable shipping costs for materials such as books and research files
- a stipend of US$50 per day for basic living expenses
- a private bedroom, bathroom and studio
- use of all communal facilities
- a cell phone and €30 worth of credit (provided upon request).
Fellows who are not French citizens are required to have their own medical and liability insurance or they must purchase insurance arranged by the program (US$150).
How to Apply
Applications are managed via the Museum of Fine Arts’ Slideroom Portal. Applicants are required to supply:
- A CV of up to three pages
- A one-page project description
- A one-page community participation description
- Two professional references
- Samples of their work. Writers are asked to submit to writing samples of no more than twenty pages in total.
- A scan of your passport or European Union ID papers
- US$20 application fee.
Applications are reviewed by the director of the Museum and by the director and assistant director of the Dora Maar House in consultation with experts in the applicants’ fields. The final decision is made by the Museum’s director.
UPDATED
The next application deadline is 15 October for fellowships taking place between 1 February and 30 June 2017. For fellowships between 1 July and 15 December 2017, applications must be submitted by 15 February.
For further information about the Brown Foundation Fellows Program please visit the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston website.
