Curb Public Scholars Program

After a yearlong hiatus, the Curb Center’s Public Scholars Program will reopen applications on August 5, 2024 for the 2024–2026 cohort. Applications will be due on Septamber 8, 2024.

The Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy at Vanderbilt University aims to elevate art as a mode of inquiry, a way of understanding, and a celebration of the human spirit. As part of this mission, the Curb Center’s Public Scholars Program supports graduate students to enact arts-based projects on campus and in the wider community.

The Curb Public Scholars program provides mentorship, resources, and support for graduate students to realize public-facing creative and/or arts-based projects. Public Scholars receive a two-year grant of $2,500; access to Curb Center materials, facilities, and equipment; and workshops with artists, scholars, and community leaders to support the completion of their project. Public Scholars will also receive support to present their work at a conference in the second year of their program.

Program Eligibility

The Public Scholars Program is a two-year program that selects a new cohort each year. The Public Scholars Program is open to Vanderbilt graduate students across disciplines who:

• Have completed at least one year of their degree and have at least two years remaining
• Have advisor’s approval to participate in the program
• Can plan, execute, and evaluate their project by April 2026
• Are available to actively participate in approximately 3 group meetings and 1 individual meeting per semester (schedule will be decided based on selected scholars’ availability)