Chanel and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation have announced a new transatlantic curatorial fellowship, set to launch in 2027. The Chanel Culture Fund Fellowship is a one-year program for MA- and PhD-level scholars, who will begin at the Guggenheim Museum in New York before moving to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. The announcement coincides with the start of the Venice Biennale, and the open call for fellows will begin this fall. The fellowship includes a stipend and travel support, and is designed to complement the Peggy Guggenheim Collection's existing International Fellowship.
This partnership matters because it deepens the Guggenheim's connection to Venice, a key international art stage, while also expanding Chanel's growing network of cultural initiatives. By focusing on curatorial research and collection studies, the fellowship aims to build long-term infrastructure and support for emerging scholars, rather than just funding temporary programming. It also draws a historical parallel between Gabrielle Chanel and Peggy Guggenheim, both of whom supported experimental artists outside traditional structures. For the Guggenheim, the program extends its mission to foster fresh research and insights across its New York and Venice venues.