PHIL OCHS FELLOWSHIP

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The application window for the 2026 Phil Ochs Fellowship is now open.

Applications are due by September 15, 2026 to be considered.

The Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma is pleased to announce the call for proposals for the 2026 Phil Ochs Fellowship, a partnership between the Woody Guthrie Center Archives and A Still Small Voice Inc. This fellowship awards up to $5,000 for scholarly, creative, or educational research projects about the life and work of Phil Ochs and his lasting legacy and influence on popular culture, politics, and music.

The Woody Guthrie Center is home to the Phil Ochs Papers, donated in 2014 by Ochs’s daughter, Meegan Ochs; the Michael Ochs Collection, donated in 2015 by Ochs’s brother, Michael Ochs, and the Sonny Ochs Collection, donated in 2018 by Ochs’s sister, Sonny Ochs. These collections include a rich array of original lyrics, correspondence, travel journals and notebooks, scrapbooks, personal belongings, photographs, and moving image and sound recordings. Together, these collections comprise approximately 70 linear feet of archival materials related to the life of the folk singer and topical songwriter.

The Phil Ochs Fellowship supports in-person research at the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. For eligibility, applicants must highlight archival research in the Phil Ochs Archives as a primary focus of their project with a topic extensive enough to require at least one week of research in the archives. Research must be completed within one calendar year of the award date, and projects must be published, produced, or otherwise completed within three years of the award date.

Previous applicants are encouraged to apply.

Projects may include:

Published writing: Article in a scholarly journal or trade publication, book project (under contract), book chapter (under contract)

Film and video: Documentary film project, television program or series, etc.

Audio projects: Radio and podcast programs or series

Exhibitions, dramatic productions, or other public-facing projects: Confirmed venues, programs, and dates to be included in proposal

Educational projects: Classroom curriculum or other educational activities and programs

Other: Other original research or creative projects will be considered

HOW TO APPLY

Application materials must be submitted through the web form below.

Submission packet must include:

- Current CV or resume
- Project proposal (1–3 pages)
- Project title, project type, and clear overview
- Summary of how archival research in Tulsa will support the project
- Quantifiable deliverables and detailed timeline to completion
- Current status of the project
- Overview of previous research and materials already consulted
- Other sources of funding
Budget that includes reasonable expenses for travel, lodging, meals, and other necessary costs associated with the project
- Per diem meals and incidentals (see: GSA Per Diem Rates)

Fellowship Award Requirements

Research must be undertaken in person at the Woody Guthrie Center archives and completed within the following calendar year after the date the fellowship is awarded.
Projects must be completed (published or produced and distributed) within three years of the award date.
Awardees will agree to participate in an in-person interview to speak about their project and their time in the archives.
Awardees will deliver regular updates on their projects through email and will provide the Woody Guthrie Archives/American Song Archives a copy/copies of the final product.

Fellowship Award Stipulations

Fellowship funding may be divided among more than one applicant. Please ensure that your project is focused, and that your budget accurately reflects the scope of the work proposed.
The Woody Guthrie Center does not hold copyrights to materials in the collections. Researchers are responsible for all permissions, licensing, and fees from the copyright holders of the materials.
No applications will be accepted that promote artists or musical compositions using original lyrics found in the archival collections.

Phil Ochs Fellowship Application

PHIL OCHS FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS

Sandra Greene, associate director for peer leadership and partnerships, University of South Carolina, and Benjamin Greene, TV writer, Los Angeles (2025)
The Teaching Woody Guthrie Collective, teacher-scholars, activists, and musicians, Court Carney, Michele Fazio, Mark Fernandez, Gus Stadler, Aimee Zoeller (2025)
Megan Alexis Looknauth, Ph.D. student, University of North Texas, Denton, TX (2024)
Emily McGowan, assistant professor of English, Bryan College, Dayton, TN (2024)
Sam Paddor, podcast host, Mercer Island, WA (2024)
David Guzman and Miguel Yilales, documentary filmmakers, Reverberancias, Rancagua Región del Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins, Chile (2023)
Victoria Nelson, freelance artist and podcast host, Ames, Iowa (2023)
Will Kaufman, professor of American Literature and Culture, University of Central Lancashire (2022)
Sarah King, assistant professor of history, University of South Carolina Aiken (2021)
Madison Mae Williams, multidisciplinary artist and scholar, San Diego (2021)
Tom Bergan, elementary school teacher, Louisville (2021)
Christa Anne Bentley, assistant professor of musicology, University of Arkansas (2019)
Norwood Andrews, independent scholar, Dallas (2019)
James R. Bowers, professor of political science and legal studies, St. John Fisher College, New York (2018)
Nancy Greco, university archivist and instruction librarian, St. John Fisher College, New York (2018)

PHIL OCHS FELLOWSHIP

HOW TO APPLY

Phil Ochs Fellowship Application

PHIL OCHS FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS

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