Alexis Gregory Fellowship for European Decorative Arts, 2026–27 at The Frick Collection – New York, New York

Full-time, Temporary, Exempt, One-Year Fellowship

Background

Internationally recognized as a premier museum and research center, the Frick is known for its distinguished Old Master paintings and outstanding examples of European sculpture and decorative arts.

The collection originated with Henry Clay Frick (1849–1919), who bequeathed his home, paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts to the public for their enjoyment. The institution’s holdings—which encompass masterworks from the Renaissance through the nineteenth century—have grown over the decades, more than doubling in size since the opening of the museum in 1935. A critical component of the institution is the Frick Art Research Library, founded in 1920 by Helen Clay Frick, daughter of the museum’s founder. Recognized as one of the world’s top art history research centers, it has served students, scholars, and members of the public free of charge for generations.

The Frick has undergone a comprehensive renovation and was open in a temporary home, Frick Madison, from 2020 through early 2024, while renovations were underway at the mansion on 70th Street. In addition to special exhibition galleries and education spaces, we have added enhanced visitor amenities and accessible spaces. The museum and Art Research Library reopened to the public in April 2025

Workplace Culture

We pride ourselves on promoting an open and welcoming workplace culture that supports work-life balance. The Frick strives to provide our employees with competitive salaries and exceptional benefits in a beautiful and pleasant work setting, while offering an excellent opportunity to appreciate some of the world’s finest works of art.

The Frick Collection provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to personal characteristics such as race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, marital and civil partnership/union status, alienage or citizenship status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status, unemployment status, familial status, domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking victim status, caregiver status, or other characteristics protected by law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Position Summary

The Frick Collection is pleased to announce the availability of a one-year fellowship for an outstanding candidate holding a master’s degree or pursuing a Ph.D. in art history who wishes to pursue a curatorial career in an art museum, particularly in the field of decorative arts. The Alexis Gregory Fellowship for European Decorative Arts offers invaluable curatorial training and provides the scholarly and financial resources required for completing a doctoral dissertation (if applicable). Internationally renowned for its exceptional collection of western European art from the early Renaissance through the end of the nineteenth century, The Frick Collection—complemented by the significant resources of the Frick Art Research Library—offers a unique opportunity for object-based research. The fellowship is best suited to a student working on a dissertation that pertains to decorative arts.

The Alexis Gregory Fellow for European Decorative Arts will have opportunities to work with members of the Frick’s Curatorial Department on research for permanent collection displays and special exhibitions. The fellow will engage in various duties including, but not limited to, supporting projects managed by the Associate Curator of Decorative Arts, conducting research for exhibitions, writing texts for Frick publications, conducting tours and gallery talks, contributing to educational programming, and assisting with daily administrative tasks. The fellow will have access to the collections and library, as well as introductions to New York City museums and libraries. Frick curators and conservation staff in the Sherman Fairchild Center for Art Conservation will be available for consultation on the dissertation (if applicable). The fellow is considered a full-time, temporary, exempt employee for the duration of the one-year fellowship. The term is expected to begin in September 2026 and conclude in August 2027.

Benefits of Employment at The Frick Collection

Paid Holidays: All full-time employees are eligible for 14 paid holidays (all federal holidays including Juneteenth, and Election Day), including four floating holidays; two may be used in the first half of the calendar year, two may be used in the second half of the calendar year.

Sick and Vacation Time: Eligible full-time employees accrue up to 12 sick and 15 vacation days their first year of employment. In subsequent years, eligible full-time employees accrue up to 12 sick days and 25 vacation days per year.

Family Leave: We provide all eligible employees with paid bereavement leave and paid family leave, and we adhere to federal family leave laws.

Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance: All eligible full-time employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in employer-sponsored benefit plans. Employees contribute to the cost of health insurance based on income level and type of coverage selected.

Retirement: The Frick supports all employees in planning for retirement. The Frick provides all eligible employees with a defined benefit pension plan, the value of which is equivalent to an additional 12% in compensation. Employees may also choose to make additional contributions to the Frick's Tax Deferred Savings Plan (403(b)).

Short- and Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance: The Frick covers the entire cost of these benefits for all eligible full-time employees. The life insurance benefit is up to three times the employee’s annual

Wellness Programs: The Frick offers an Employee Assistance Plan, a discount on Citi Bike memberships, and a discount on bike helmets.

Meal Discount: When employees are working on-site, they may access a discount on food pickup or delivery through Seamless/Grubhub.

Additional Benefits: The Frick also offers eligible employees additional benefits including transit discounts and flexible spending accounts for medical expenses, dependent care, and commuting costs. All employees may access a discount on Museum Shop purchases.

Employment Status and Compensation

The fellow is considered a full-time, temporary employee for the duration of their one-year fellowship and will be eligible for all benefits associated with full-time employment. The Frick will cover travel expenses related to research.

The term for this role is expected to be twelve months and begin in September 2026 without possibility of extension beyond the one-year term.

The one-year salary for this exempt position is $57,500.00 and will be paid on a biweekly basis.

Physical Requirements

The physical requirements of this role are needed to perform the essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation(s).

Physical requirements are comparable to most office roles: the ability to interact in-person with colleagues and use common office tools and machines (computer, phone); and the ability to traverse throughout the offices and building(s) both inside and outside of the museum, and visit different levels of the building.

Qualifications and Application Process

Applicants should hold a master’s degree or be pursuing a Ph.D. in art history. They should have excellent academic credentials and be interested in pursuing a museum career. Their fields of expertise should focus on European decorative arts from the thirteenth through early twentieth centuries and should be connected to a subject represented in the Frick’s permanent collection.

Applications must include the following materials:

• A cover letter explaining the applicant's interest in the fellowship. The letter should include a home address, phone number, and email address.
• An abstract, not to exceed three typed pages double-spaced, describing the applicant's area of research.
• A complete curriculum vitae of education, employment, honors, awards, and publications. Please include anticipated date of completion for Ph.D. program, if applicable.
• A copy of a published paper or a writing sample in English or French, no more than fifty pages in length.
• Three letters of recommendation (academic and professional). PDFs of signed letters on university or business stationary are preferred.

Deadline: May 18, 2026

Application Process

Please submit application and all application materials here

Or send requisite materials to:

Executive Assistant to the Chief Curator

The Frick Collection

1 East 70th Street

New York, NY 10021

We anticipate conducting interviews in June and early July 2026.