DIETRICH iNCHWORM GRANTS–2025

CALL FOR PROPOSALS: DIETRICH iNCHWORM GRANTS

Dan Dietrich ’64 was fond of citing the tonalist painter Albert Pinkham Ryder, who had tremendous influence on subsequent generations of artists. Ryder’s comment “Have you ever seen an inchworm crawl up a leaf or twig, and then clinging to the very end, revolve in the air, feeling for something to reach? That’s like me. I am trying to find something out there beyond the place on which I have a footing” speaks to Dan’s conviction that true artists must take risks, must flounder outside their comfort zones, must welcome failure as a catalyst for further exploration, if their work is to break through perceived boundaries and offer new ways of seeing and understanding our world. This is true of visual artists, dancers, musicians, theater-makers, creative writers, and any collaborative mix of these disciplines. This reaching beyond where one has solid footing, this mining deeper into oneself and one’s art, is precisely why we name our program the Dietrich “inchworm” Grants.

The Daniel W. Dietrich ’64 Fund for Innovation in the Arts provides support for Dietrich inchworm Grants (DiGs) to support a wide range of art-based projects. Specific areas of support may include faculty and curatorial staff exploring new creative directions or curatorial practices; art as a way of exploring spaces on campus, both indoors and outdoors; commissioning composers and writers to contribute to larger collaborative projects; travel to explore inter- or cross-disciplinary work with other artists and collaborators; exhibitions and shows at the Wellin Museum; technological support outside of equipment; support staff; and residencies in which the visiting artists/curators/critics would collaborate on specific projects with Hamilton faculty and students. Awards may vary in size (normally from ~$10,000 to $35,000 but other award amounts may be considered) and duration according to the proposals deemed worthy of support and the pool of available funds. The fund will not support permanent projects or permanent staffing.

Projects that have received previous funding may reapply for one additional cycle. However, the Fund is not intended to support permanent projects or staffing.

Recipients of support from this Fund, and their collaborators, must submit annual progress reports, as well as a comprehensive final report, which may be shared with the Dietrich family.

Faculty members in Art, Art History, Creative Writing, Dance, Music, or Theatre; cognate art programs (Cinema and Media Studies and Digital Arts), and curators at the Wellin Museum of Art with a half-time or more appointments are invited to submit proposals as the Project Coordinator for a Dietrich inchworm Grant. Faculty who hold visiting positions can apply but preference will be given to those who hold tenured and tenure-track positions. Please provide the requested information from the DiG guidelines and submit the proposal (along with all attatchments requested on the form) on or before December 1, 2024 to http://apply.interfolio.com/156169 (http://apply.interfolio.com/132625) .

Proposals will be reviewed by a panel consisting of representatives of the departments (along with two external reviewers). Notice of awards will be made on or around March 31. Funds will become available for expenditure at that time.

It is exciting that we have this opportunity to remember our friend Dan Dietrich is this way.

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