The Museums Association of the Caribbean (MAC) Travel Fellowship Program is a professional development opportunity that provides financial support for Caribbean museum professionals to attend the MAC Annual Conference. The goal of the fellowship is to develop a greater diversity of Caribbean museum professionals and help make the Caribbean museum field a viable option for more people. Priority consideration will be given to applicants from underrepresented groups, newcomers to the museum field (regardless of age), and/or need-based applicants.
Thanks to generous funding from the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Office of Strategic Partnerships and The Smithsonian’s Reckoning with Our Racial Past, MAC is able to offer a limited number of fellowships. The majority of the fellowships are designated for Caribbean-based applicants, but this year, MAC is also offering fellowships to applicants who reside in other parts of the world if they can demonstrate a connection to Caribbean museology. Non-Caribbean-based applicants must provide a short statement (150 words or less) about how their work, studies, or interests intersect with Caribbean museums and/or Caribbean cultural heritage site work.
If selected, it is the responsibility of each fellow to ensure they have a valid passport, all required vaccinations, and all required visas for travel to Trinidad in November 2026. Please make sure this is possible before submitting your application.
Awardees of the 2026 Museums Association of the Caribbean Travel Fellowship Program Will Receive:
- Complimentary round-trip economy airline ticket up to $1,000.00 USD (11/9-11/14)
- Complimentary hotel accommodations up to five (5) nights
- Complimentary conference registration
- Access to all conference events and one (1) tour on Friday (11/13)
- Complimentary MAC membership at the individual level for one (1) year
Eligibility: Applicants must be first-time conference attendees or not have attended the MAC conference in five years or more. Past travel fellowship recipients are ineligible to apply again. Application materials may be submitted in English, Spanish, French, Dutch, or Papiamento.
Please note: the 2026 MAC conference sessions will have English/Spanish/French simultaneous translations. MAC’s business language is English, and the conference is taking place in an English-speaking country. Please consider your language needs and proficiencies when applying for this fellowship.