Mentorship and guidance
Once the fellowship is awarded, the Fellow will be matched with a mentor from the Art Canada Institute’s community of published authors. Through one-on-one guidance, feedback on written drafts, and professional development with a leading voice in Canadian art history, the Fellow will gain valuable support as they shape their manuscript.
The Fellow will meet with their mentor four times during the fellowship to discuss the parameters of their project, the direction of their writing, and the questions and arguments they intend to present in the final publication. It is expected that the Fellow will provide a written draft in advance of meetings with their mentor. The program directors will check in with the Fellow once a month to offer additional guidance and editorial support.
It is the responsibility of the Fellow to manage the professional relationship with their mentor, schedule quarterly meetings, and keep the program directors informed of their writing progress.
writing, manuscript development, and editorial support
During the fellowship, the Fellow will develop and write a 30,000 to 40,000-word manuscript. The first major step in this process is the submission of an outline that defines the manuscript’s scope, structure, and key arguments. The outline will be developed in collaboration with ACI program directors to ensure alignment with the format, focus, and editorial standards of ACI’s book series. Over the course of the fellowship, the Fellow will expand this foundation into a full manuscript.
At the conclusion of the fellowship, the Fellow will submit their completed manuscript to ACI’s editorial team. ACI editors, designers, translators, and image researchers will continue to work with the Fellow to refine the text and prepare it for publication.
Presentations and public event
In addition to writing milestones, the Fellow will be expected to give quarterly presentations to ACI staff, advisors, and patrons. These sessions are opportunities to share writing progress, receive feedback, and engage in dialogue with a supportive community committed to advancing Canadian art. Presentations may take a variety of formats, from informal updates to more structured talks, depending on the stage of the project.
Before the end of the fellowship term, the Fellow will deliver a formal keynote lecture about the subject of their manuscript. As the major public-facing event for the fellowship, the keynote provides the Fellow with the opportunity to contribute to scholarly dialogue on Canadian art, sharing their work with a broad audience and determining its impact within and beyond the ACI community.
newsletter
The Fellow will work with ACI editors to produce a feature about their project for ACI’s weekly newsletter. The feature will highlight key themes, discoveries, and the broader significance of the Fellow’s work—introducing their project to a national audience beyond the academic and publishing communities.