Antarctic Artists and Writers Program (old)

The purpose of the Antarctic Artists and Writers Program is to enable serious writings and works of art that exemplify the Antarctic heritage of humankind. In particular, the program seeks to increase public understanding of the Antarctic region, including the continent and the surrounding oceans, as well as the associated research and education endeavors.

The Antarctic Artists and Writers Program provides opportunities for professional artists and writers to travel to Antarctica --- at research stations, field camps, and aboard ships --- to make the observations necessary to complete their proposed projects. While the majority of award recipients are established artists and writers, the program also seeks to support early career artists and writers in an effort to broaden participation.

This program is intended for individuals or small teams who would make use of existing, limited resources without requiring substantial dedicated support or a significant amount of logistical resources.

The National Science Foundation funds and manages the U.S. Antarctic Program, which is devoted mainly to scientific research and education in support of the national interest in the Antarctic. The program’s research and support infrastructure enables access to much of the Antarctic region for selected Antarctic Artists and Writers Program projects. It does not typically provide direct financial support to selected applicants.

International Polar Year

The International Polar Year (IPY), which extends from March 2007 to March 2009 (see http://dels.nas.edu/us-ipy and http://www.ipy.org) is underway.

A large number of awards have been made in response to proposals submitted to the regular Antarctic Research solicitations as well as two special solicitations during FY06 and FY07. A list of IPY awards is available at http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/ipy/ipy_awards_list.jsp. Proposals that take advantage of prior IPY investments are particularly welcome.

For information about other NSF IPY activities, see http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/ipy/ipyinfo.jsp.