ACASA

ACASA is launching a new research grant to support graduate students enrolled in PhD programs in the arts and cultures of Africa and the African Diaspora. This award is specifically directed to students in the formative stages of doctoral research and dissertation development. Every year one (or more) $5,000 grants will go to those who show exceptional promise of becoming leaders in the field based on their innovative approaches to dissertation research. A five-person selection committee chosen by the ACASA Board will determine the grantee(s); the inaugural recipient will be announced at the 2027 ACASA Triennial.

This merit-based award is intended to facilitate progress toward a fully realized dissertation prospectus. ACASA seeks to provide resources to support the development of new and groundbreaking methodologies, drawing on archives, libraries, and museum collections, as well as interactions with communities, partners, scholars, mentors, colleagues, and others. The range of possibilities is without limit and the grant is open to all continuing PhD students. We welcome bold ideas and risk-taking. At the end of the research year, recipients are expected to produce a progress report that can be posted on the ACASA website and linked to the Newsletter.

Criteria that will guide in assessing and selecting deserving dissertation research proposals include (but are not limited to):

1. Incorporating one or more methodological approaches in original ways;
2. Focusing on new subjects of inquiry (especially those involving historically under-studied regions, groups, artists, mediums or more);
3. Employing non-traditional strategies of investigation and collaboration;
4. Engaging with timely disciplinary or other practical, methodological, and theoretical issues, questions, and challenges, including the future of the field and its continuity.

Applications for the inaugural award cycle will open in Fall 2026, with submission deadlines and application materials to be announced at that time. Applications will be due in early 2027. All updates and communications regarding the grant will be shared through ACASA’s website, ACASA social media channels, and member email announcements. Those interested in joining ACASA may visit the website for membership information.

ACASA Grant for Innovative Early Dissertation Research is a donor-funded initiative. It has been launched by Marla C. Berns, former ACASA President and ACASA Leadership Awardee, in honor of her mentor Professor Arnold Rubin, whose research and ideas advanced innovation and risk in the development of African art history. Berns’ outright gift along with a $5,000 matching challenge will initiate an effort to secure funding from other ACASA members. If you wish to help support the future of this new ACASA research initiative please contact Amanda M. Maples, ACASA President (president@acasaonline.org) or Caroline Bastian, Arts Administrator and Project Manager (bastian@acasaonline.org).

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The Art Institute of Chicago is pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications for a three-year (2026-2029) Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Curatorial Fellowship in the department of Arts of Africa.

The fellow will work with the department to advance new avenues of research and collection development focusing on artistic traditions grounded in Africa’s Islamic heritage, interrogating the boundaries of the field and the ways in which the category of Islamic art is defined.

The successful candidate will hold an advanced degree (Master’s level or beyond) in art history, Islamic studies, Middle Eastern studies, African studies, history, anthropology, or a closely related field with a strong research focus on Islamic art produced on the African continent. The full position description and requirements can be found here.

To ensure the fullest possible consideration, applicants should apply by Friday, February 27, 2026.

News Release – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2025

Arts Council of the African Studies Association (ACASA) Awarded $350,000 Grant to Strengthen Organizational Capacity, Sustainability, and Global Collaboration

The Arts Council of the African Studies Association (ACASA) has received a $350,000 General Operating Support grant from the Mellon Foundation, marking a transformative investment in the organization’s continued growth, capacity building, and leadership in advancing scholarship, ethical museum practices, and artistic exchange in African art studies.

As the only professional organization based in the United States dedicated to the study of African arts, ACASA has, for more than four decades, supported scholars, artists, curators, and museum professionals across the world. This new three-year award builds on ACASA’s prior Mellon-funded capacity-building initiatives (2022–2025), ensuring sustained administrative and strategic development while expanding global engagement and fostering ethical stewardship of African art collections.

Grant-Supported Initiatives

The Mellon Foundation’s support will enable ACASA to:

• Sustain key administrative leadership by continuing the role of an Arts Administrator/Project Manager to oversee strategic planning, governance, and event delivery.
• Host the 20th Triennial Symposium on African Art in Rabat, Morocco (July 2027) in collaboration with Université Mohammed V, expanding ACASA’s global footprint and fostering cross-continental dialogue.
• Launch a Provenance Research Training Workshop Program in partnership with leading museums to strengthen ethical research capacity and transparency.
• Partner with Matrix at MSU to support the “Making United States African Art Collections Accessible and Visible” (MUSAA) digital initiative — an aggregator connecting users, especially those based in Africa, with data on African artworks in U.S. collections.
• Create a long-term sustainability plan in partnership with nonprofit consultants to diversify funding streams and ensure ACASA’s financial independence.

These initiatives align with the Mellon Foundation’s commitment to supporting historically under-resourced organizations and advancing new models that reflect a holistic approach to social and cultural change.

Please direct inquiries to ACASA President Amanda M. Maples at president@acasaonline.org.

About the Arts Council of the African Studies Association (ACASA)

The Arts Council of the African Studies Association (ACASA) is the leading U.S.-based professional organization dedicated solely to the study and promotion of African and African Diaspora arts. Founded in 1981, ACASA’s mission is to foster greater understanding of African material and expressive culture in all its myriad forms and to encourage ongoing collaboration among artists, scholars, curators, museum professionals, students, and global communities. Through its core initiatives—including the Triennial Symposium on African Art, awards for teaching, curatorial and publication excellence, webinars, museum- and artist-centric resources, and its Collaboration, Collections, and Restitution Best Practices for North American Museums Holding African Objects (CCRBP) document—ACASA creates dynamic forums for exchange, supports the ethical stewardship and visibility of African art, and advances equity, access, and dialogue in the field. For more information about the organization, its activities, and its global membership, visit www.acasaonline.org.

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The Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, is now accepting applications for senior, visiting senior, and postdoctoral fellowships that begin in 2026. These residential appointments support research in the history, theory, and criticism of the visual arts and related disciplines of any period or geographical area.

Learn more about each opportunity, their requirements, and their deadlines here: https://www.nga.gov/research/casva/fellowships.html

See Candidate’s Full Statements and Access Voting Portal

Voting for new members of the Board of Directors is open through 19 August 2025. ACASA members in good standing (with active memberships) are eligible to vote. Election results will be communicated via membership email.

Five elected candidates will serve for an approximately 3-year term as Members-at-Large (ending ASA 2028). The current board will appoint a President–Elect/VP from the elected candidates (to be ratified electronically by the membership) who will succeed Amanda M. Maples as President at the end of her term of office (Triennial 2027). For more information regarding the structure and duties of the board, please consult the by-laws.

Position Description:
Members-at-large are full members of the ACASA Board of Directors. Duties include: attending meetings and participating in board deliberations; serving on committees as needed; and fulfilling vacant board member roles or other duties as assigned.
Empty board positions looking to be filled include Vice President/President-Elect, Treasurer-Elect, Website Editor, and two Members-At-Large.

ACASA Board Candidates 2025–2028:

• Olayemi Tosin Ajayi
• Olaoluwa Ayokunmi
• Delinda Collier
• Paul Cooper
• Alice Korkor Ebeheakey
• Aindrea Emelife
• Blaise Gundu Gbaden
• Kiagho Kilonzo
• Gontse Mathabathe
• Ashley V. Miller
• Olusegun Quadri

You can find the candidates’ statements, CVs, and the link to the voting portal here: https://www.acasaonline.org/2025-board-election/

All nominations due July 21, 2025

The ACASA Board of Directors is looking to fill five open board positions for the ASA 2025-2027 Term:

1. Vice President/President-Elect
2. Treasurer-Elect
3. Website Editor
4. Member at Large
5. Member at Large

All nominees must be members in good standing of ACASA (must have an active membership). In addition to their assigned position, each Board member serves on committees during their 3-year term and participates in regular board meetings. Please note that nominees do not apply to a specific board position, but encourage nominees to include their preferred positions in their statement of intent. Following the general election, the Board will hold an internal election to designate one new member as Vice President/Future President, as indicated in the bylaws, and assign the remaining board positions accordingly. All elected nominees must be willing and ready to serve as ACASA Vice President/President-Elect.

All nominations are due July 21, 2025. Submit your nominations through the link below.

Nomination Form

The ACASA Board Elections Committee will contact nominees by email. Nominees who accept their nomination must submit a short bio, short statement of intent including interested position(s), and a 4-page (max) CV by 4 August 2025.

Members may nominate another ACASA member or themself for one of these positions.

If you have any questions, please email Caroline Bastian Retcher, ACASA Admin, at bastian@acasaonline.org