Harold Wright and Sarah and William Holmes Scholarships

About

The Harold Wright Scholarship and the Sarah and William Holmes Scholarship are available for graduates of Australian or New Zealand universities to undertake intensive study of prints at the British Museum in London. It is envisaged that the holder, rather than focusing on a single part of the Museum's holdings, will work widely in one of the greatest collections of prints in the world.

Applications open in 2027

Benefits

Up to $40,000 is available and one award will be offered from this amount. Award payments will be made as a single lump-sum.

The scholarship will be used to support study in the British Museum print room for approximately 3-12 months.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:

• be a graduate of an Australian or New Zealand university, or have professional experience that the selection committee could consider to be of sufficient scholarly standard;
• have a professional background involving the study of prints;
• not be employed by any commercial art gallery or other art gallery run for profit; and,
• not be engaged in art dealing on your own account or in partnership.

Selection criteria

The scholarships will be awarded to the applicants who make the most compelling case for support by demonstrating:

• the positive impact of the award and proposed activities, including exploring the broader print collections at the British Museum;
• the quality and feasibility of the submitted proposal including how the scholarship and study at the British Museum would advance their career and work in prints; and;
• the skills, experience and aptitude required to carry out the proposed project as evidenced by the application.

Conditions

Recipients are required to:

• accept the award online within 21 days;
• submit the relevant travel documents; and,
• provide a report within two months after returning from travel.

Applicants should state their proposed dates in their application and final dates will be subject to availability at the British Museum.

Outcome

Applicants are advised of the outcome via email within 8-10 weeks.

Application process

Eligible applicants must complete the online application form, including:

• proposed travel dates;
• a 500-word statement outlining the proposed activities to be undertaken during the placement, including exploring the broader print collections at the British Museum, how the scholarship will advance your career;
• an indicative budget;
• two academic references;
• academic transcripts, including previous studies in prints;
• a two-page resume, including your present position;
• copy of proof of Australian or New Zealand citizenship. The selection committee may request a certified copy at a later date; and,
• any other information to support the application that may assist the committee in making its decision.

Apply

Enquiries

artsawards-info@unimelb.edu.au

About the donors

Harold James Lean Wright (1885-1961) was a philanthropist, print dealer, collector, educator and scholar. From London, he advised many of the major art institutions and private collectors in Australia and New Zealand on the acquisitions of fine art prints. During his lifetime he donated 3,700 Old Master prints to the University of Melbourne’s Baillieu Library. Artists included Rembrandt van Rijn, Albrecht Dürer, the van de Velde family and Jacques Callot, as well as 15,000 rare books focussing on the history of printing. On his death in 1961, his widow Isobel Holmes established the Harold Wright Scholarship for graduates of Australian and New Zealand universities to study the great print collections of the British Museum first-hand. The Sarah and William Holmes Scholarship is named in honour of the parents of Mrs Wright.

About the recipients

Alie Clanachan

I am thrilled to be granted the opportunity to study in the British Museum Print Room and have access to the best print collection in the world. Many of my supervisors, colleagues and mentors are alumni of this scholarship and they cannot speak more highly of their experience at the British Museum. As an early-mid-career print curator, this scholarship will enable me to gain sustained insight into the history of Western printmaking and allow access to works I have been unable to see first-hand in Australian collections.

The information listed here is subject to change without notice. Information describing the number and value of scholarships awarded is indicative.