The American Antiquarian Society (AAS), a national research library and learned society of American history and culture, is calling for applications for visiting fellowships for historical research by creative and performing artists, writers, film makers, journalists, and other persons whose goals are to produce imaginative, non-formulaic works dealing with pre-twentieth-century American history. Successful applicants are those whose work is for the general public rather than for academic or educational audiences. The Society's goal in sponsoring this program is to multiply and improve the ways in which an understanding of history is communicated to the American people.
Fellowship projects may include (but are not limited to):

historical novels
performance of historical music or drama
poetry
documentary films
television programs
radio broadcasts
plays
libretti
screenplays
magazine or newspaper articles
costume designs
set designs
illustrations and other graphic arts
book designs
sculpture
paintings
other works of fine and applied art
nonfiction works of history designed for general audiences of adults or children

The fellowships will provide the recipients with the opportunity for a period of uninterrupted research, reading, and collegial discussion at the Society, located in Worcester, Massachusetts. At least three fellowships will be awarded for residence of four weeks at the Society at any time during the period January l through December 31.

The stipend will be $1,100 for fellows residing on campus (rent-free) in the Society's Goddard-Daniels House, an attractive and spacious historic mansion located directly across the street from the AAS library. The stipend will be $1,600 for fellows residing off campus. Fellows will not be paid a travel allowance.

Funding for this program began with a grant to AAS from the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund. Additional funding for the awards is derived from income from endowments established by the Robert and Charlotte Baron Fellowship and the William Randolph Hearst Foundation.

The deadline for 2009 applications is October 5, 2008