CALL FOR MASTERS RESEARCH 2026

Stedelijk Studies Masters 2026

Call for Submissions

Join us in shaping the conversation about the Stedelijk’s past, present, and future!

Photo: Maarten Nauw

Does your master’s thesis engage with Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam?

We invite master’s students and alumni whose theses engage with the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam to adapt their research into a concise essay (±4,000 words) for Stedelijk Studies. Here, with over 60.000 visitors a year, your academic work meets a broader audience of curators, artists, and scholars invested in the Stedelijk’s evolving story. As an author, you publish your insights fully open-access under your own name, ensuring your work directly contributes to public debate and is widely accessible to fellow researchers and peers.

Your essay could delve into a range of compelling topics, such as the hidden politics of an exhibition, the life of an artwork in our collection, or the museum’s role in cultural debates, among other critical inquiries tied to the Stedelijk. We welcome writing that introduces fresh perspectives, whether through archival discoveries, sharp critical analysis, or innovative theoretical frameworks.

How to Apply

Submit the following to [email protected] by 1 August 2026, with the subject line: “Stedelijk Studies Masters 2026 [Your Name]”

Abstract (max. 350 words):
- Core argument and its specific connection to the Stedelijk
- Plan for adapting your thesis into a 4,000-word narrative (structure, key sources, methodology)
CV (1 page)
Optional: Thesis excerpt (1–2 pages)

Selection & Publication

Selection Criteria: Essays will be evaluated for relevance, originality, and methodological rigor.

Timeline:

Submissions due: 1 August 2026
Decisions announced: September 2026
Publication: expected winter 2026

Support: Selected authors will receive editorial support and an honorarium of € 200,-

Rights: Authors retain copyright.

Eligibility: Open to master’s theses completed within the last 3 years. We welcome submissions from all disciplines, including but not limited to art history, museology, and cultural studies.

Language: Essays will be published in English but may be submitted in English or Dutch.

Visuals: Images/diagrams may be included. Submit high-resolution files separately with captions.

Formatting: Follow Chicago/APA. Submit as PDF named: “LastName_FirstName_SSM2026”.

Questions? [email protected]

Stedelijk Studies Masters 2025

The project Stedelijk Studies Masters offers a platform to a new generation of researchers eager to create knowledge in different areas of museum studies. The objective is to facilitate access to recent master’s-level research about, within and around the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam’s practices, exhibitions, collection, collaborations, and more.

Stedelijk Studies Masters 2026

Does your master’s thesis engage with Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam?

How to Apply

Selection & Publication

Stedelijk Studies Masters 2025

Curation and the Visitor Experience

Curatorial Activism Through a Feminist Lens

Wording Identities

Keeping Track of Time

MODERN?

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