Aesthetics of Solidarity Conference: Call for Scholarships | AMCA | Association for Modern + Contemporary Art of the Arab World, Iran + Turkey

Aesthetics of Solidarity Conference: Call for Scholarships

Call for scholarships
Applications due Feb. 28

The Aesthetics of Solidarity conference planning committee seeks applications for funding to support attendance at the upcoming conference Aesthetics of Solidarity at Michigan State University from April 9–12, 2025. This symposium considers how Arab American and Arab diaspora artists in the United States use their artistic practice to show solidarity with those facing socio-political injustices in the US and around the world. You can view the full program here: https://amcainternational.org/category/conferences/.

Aesthetics of Solidarity is the 2025 Association for Modern + Contemporary Art of the Arab World, Iran + Turkey (AMCA) conference and the 18th Annual Michigan State University Muslim Studies Program Faculty Symposium. The symposium was inspired by themes in the exhibition Nabil Kanso: Echoes of War, on view at the MSU Broad Art Museum from Feb. 15–Jun. 29, 2025. The exhibition Entangled Solidarities, on view at the MSU Libraries from Feb. 7–May 30, 2025, also explores similar themes.

Funding is available to support those who wish to attend the symposium in person, but who are not presenting at the conference. Priority will be given to graduate students at any stage and contingent faculty, particularly those who do not have institutional support to attend conferences. While the conference has a hybrid component, we recognize the importance ofattending conferences in person, specifically as it relates to networking opportunities and seeing exhibitions, as well as learning about new avenues for research and writing.

To apply, please fill out this short survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe7O4-GLEdUIgWZPSukgSbu1-El8zmaIiu-JlLOpQwbI127WQ/viewform?usp=sharing. Applicants will be asked to include a short statement explaining their interest in attending the event in-person, which should be no more than 250 words. Applications are due by 11:59pm EST on Friday, February 28, 2025.

Applicants will be notified of their application status the first week of March. The exact amount of funding will be distributed equally based on the number of applicants and stated need, but we expect to give approximately $500 to each applicant. Following the symposium, participants will be asked to submit a short reflection/reaction (no more than 250 words) regarding their experience at the symposium to aid in grant reporting.

Please direct any questions to Dr. Rachel Winter at winterr6@msu.edu.