Yavarhoussen Scholarship for the History of Art in Madagascar

Applicants are invited to submit a research project that contributes to expanding knowledge in the field of the art history of Madagascar. The scholarship may support ongoing research, but proposed projects may also take other forms, such as an artist monograph, a study of a body of works, a research on unpublished or little-known archival or photographic collections, etc. Applicants may also propose a research topic focusing on Malagasy heritage held in one or more museums in France.

The jury will pay particular attention to the originality of the subject, as well as to the feasibility of the proposed timeline and budget, as the project must be completed within one year following the announcement of the results. The successful applicant will be expected to produce a tangible work during or at the end of the grant year (article, book chapter, exhibition, book, Master’s thesis, doctoral dissertation, etc.) and to present the results of their research at the invitation of the Yavarhoussen Fund (lecture, debatee, interview, etc.).

The jury may designate between one and three recipients, within the limit of a total allocation of €17,000 for this program.

Recipients must use the fellowship within 12 months following the announcement of their selection, notably to conduct field research, including the study of archival collections, documentary resources, or artworks, and, where relevant, to meet living artists, curators, museum professionals, researchers and academics, collectors, etc., in Madagascar and elsewhere if appropriate.

This fellowship is open, regardless of nationality, to early-career researchers (Master’s, PhD, postdoctoral) enrolled in art history, history, archaeology, anthropology, heritage studies, or the arts, and conducting research on the historical or contemporary arts of Madagascar.

The application (in French, English or Malagasy) must include:

• a curriculum vitae;
• a cover letter addressed to the Director General of the INHA and the Director of Studies and Research;
• a detailed research proposal (maximum 5 pages, excluding bibliography), comprising: a concise presentation of the project, a literature review, the proposed methodology and the intended outcome (book, dissertation, article, etc.), as well as a provisional calendar of planned research trips (with precise indication of sources, collections, works to be seen, artists and key figures to be met, etc.) and a detailed budget. Particular care given to the description of the research program will be decisive. A bibliography, including the main sources to be consulted, should complete the application;
• an enrolment certificate in a higher education institution (Master’s or PhD level), or a certificate of honour confirming intended enrollment in a Master’s or PhD program in Autumn 2026 (except for postdoctoral researchers);
• a letter of support from an academic referee endorsing the application.

For any questions, please contact the Department of Studies and Research.