BeMA Research Grant

Award Amount: $5,000 per recipient

Grant duration: 6 months

Number of grantees: 2

Deadline for application: December 31, 2023

The BeMA Research Grant Program emerges from the museum’s commitment to advance the study and practice of art history in the region. It offers 2 grants of up to $5,000 each, providing financial support for scholarly research through innovative formats while developing professional practices.

As the custodians of over 2,700 works of art belonging to the Lebanese Ministry of Culture (MoC), BeMA has selected 1,600 works to be part of the museum. As such, BeMA will be able to provide direct access to this valuable resource consisting of mostly Modern paintings, works on paper, sculptures and ceramics.

The grant will encourage knowledge creation, allowing for a greater understanding of late 19th Century and 20th Century art practices in Lebanon through the MoC’s collection. The approach should focus on the writing of art history, cross-referencing collections, and scouting and studying archival primary sources.

A temporary link to the collection can be found here for reference and to facilitate the development of the applicant's proposal: BeMA Collection

The Unearthing Histories Research Grant encourages researchers and cultural practitioners to propose new forms of goal-specific research that incorporate cataloguing, documentation, biography writing, interviews and artwork analysis to provide insights into art historical narratives.

a) Conduct an in-depth examination and analysis of an under-researched art collection.

b) Scout and investigate archives, documents, correspondence, and ephemera associated with the collection, including those held by artist estates, museums, galleries, private collectors, and relevant institutions.

c) Situate the collection within the broader art historical, sociocultural, and historical contexts to understand its significance and impact on artistic movements, cultural heritage, and society.

d) Produce a scholarly essay, curatorial materials, and educational resources that enhance the understanding of the collection, its creators, and its relevance to art history.

The research grants are open to:

Master's degree or Ph.D. students

Established professional researchers with university affiliations

Researchers within museums

Independent researchers

Applicants are welcome from all nationalities; however, candidates must work and reside in Lebanon for the duration of the research.

Knowledge of English and Arabic are mandatory.

Knowledge of French is a plus.

DELIVERABLES

- 5,000 - 7,000-word essay (can be in English, Arabic or French)

- Abstract of 250 words (in English and the language in which the essay is written)

- Select and document iconography coming from the MoC Collection and scouted archives.

- Innovative online and / or printed document format summarizing and communicating the entire research project.

- Grantees must provide a digital and hard copy of the upon mentioned deliverables resulting

from their research to BeMA.

Applicants are required to submit an online application

https://forms.gle/LYvFGvKz7GeRYACP6

Kindly upload the materials in PDF format only.

Proposal materials can be submitted in English, Arabic or French

Only complete proposals will be examined by the Selection Committee.

The proposals will be evaluated by a selection committee comprised of BeMa’s museum staff, Lebanese scholars and art practitioners with extensive research and teaching experience.

Evaluation criteria:

-Contribution to advancing original knowledge in the arts in Lebanon.

-Projects fostering collaboration.

-Distinctiveness from existing works in the field.

-Addressing the needs and priorities of the country and region.

-Ethical research practices and methodologies.

Awards will be announced on January 21, 2024 and considered active as of February 15, 2024. The research project will be conducted over a period of 6 months to be completed by August 30th, 2024.

For any inquiries about the grant or application process, email us at

Bema@bema.museum

with the subject line: “BeMA Research Grant – Application”