The Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation is pleased to announce a new grant that seeks to promote and support conservation projects and research initiatives that will advance the professional restoration and study of viceregal works of art. The Thoma Foundation Art of the Spanish Americas Conservation Grant will award and distribute annually up to $50,000 among several proposals selected by an international jury of experts in the field. The grant funding, intended for conservators, curators, or other stakeholders working in museums or academic institutions, will be awarded to projects that demonstrate the potential to make significant contributions to the preservation and conservation of the art of the Spanish Americas. International applicants, particularly from Latin America, are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants are required to propose projects that focus on preventive conservation, the restoration of artworks in need of attention, the acquisition of lab equipment, and the convenings of preservation/conservation workshops or symposia.
The Thoma Foundation Art of the Spanish Americas Conservation Grant provides support for projects at various stages of development, ranging from early planning and individual studies to advanced implementation, all aimed at preserving historical artworks and safeguarding viceregal heritage. The proposed project must include a preservation/conservation professional who would work individually or lead the assembly of an interdisciplinary team that can include the academic institution/museum staff, conservation scientists, curators, art historians, and other relevant experts. Grants range in duration from one to two years with the expectation that, upon completion of the term, the grantee will select channels from which to disseminate their research outcomes throughout the conservation and art history field at large.