The Core Program at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, awards residencies to highly motivated, exceptional visual artists and critical writers who have completed their undergraduate or graduate training and are working to develop a sustainable practice.

Residents engage with a wide range of distinguished artists, critics, curators, and scholars who are invited to meet individually with the residents, lead seminars, and deliver public lectures. Core fellows also participate in a yearlong seminar in which the content is driven by contemporary concerns, the interests and work of the residents, and the Core lecture series and visitors.

The residency term is from September to May, and fellows may apply for a second term. Each spring, the program mounts an exhibition of work produced during the residency, which is accompanied by a publication to which the critical studies residents contribute texts based on their original research. Critical studies residents may apply for support for a curatorial project in their second year. Residents receive a $21,500 stipend, a private studio or office, and borrowing privileges at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s Hirsch Library and Rice University’s Fondren Library.

Applications for the 2024–25 Core term are due April 1, 2024. The fee to apply is $12.

For more information, visit mfah.org/core.