Independent
Study Program

Mission Statement  

The Whitney Museum's Independent Study Program (“ISP”) is an experimental study community dedicated to fostering critical thinking, cross-disciplinary scholarship and writing, and multimedia artistic practices. The ISP cultivates a rigorous intellectual environment where Participants are encouraged to engage deeply with contemporary issues through extended conversation and collaboration.  Through seminars, reading groups, workshops, screenings, performances, poetry readings, studio visits, and an array of collaborative endeavors, the program nurtures and challenges the creative processes of artists, curators, and scholars who are committed to innovative, sustainable, and activist practices.  

A group of students gathered in Donald Judd's studio
A group of students gathered in Donald Judd's studio

Independent Study Program seminar with artist Donald Judd at his studio in 1974. On Judd’s right is Ron Clark, and on his left is artist Julian Schnabel. Photograph courtesy Barbara Quinn and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

2025–26 Update

This fall the Whitney, in collaboration with alumni, former faculty, and supporters of the ISP program, will undertake a search for a new Director of the ISP. During this process, the 2025–26 academic year program will be paused. The ISP is a vital space for artists, curators, and scholars, and is tremendously important to the broader field beyond its participants and faculty. We look forward to finding an inspirational new leader and resuming the program in 2026. 

About The Program

The Independent Study Program (ISP) consists of three interrelated parts: Studio Program, Critical Studies Program, and Curatorial Program. The ISP provides a setting within which students pursuing art practice, curatorial work, art historical scholarship, and critical writing engage in ongoing discussions and debates that examine the historical, social, and intellectual conditions of artistic production. The program encourages the theoretical and critical study of artistic practices. The ISP is a non-degree granting tuition free program. There are no application fees.

Each year fifteen individuals are selected to participate in the Studio Program, four in the Curatorial Program, and six in the Critical Studies Program, for a total cohort of twenty-five. Curatorial and critical studies participants are designated as Helena Rubinstein Fellows in recognition of the substantial support provided to the program by the Helena Rubinstein Foundation and Studio participants are Weitzen Family Fellows in acknowledgment of the one-time relocation stipend generously provided by the Weitzen family.

Explore the ISP 40th anniversary book

Application Process:

Applications are submitted online through SlideRoom. Please do not mail your application. Applications are accepted annually from the first week of January to the first week of February. Please refer our website for any updates.
All applicants must include:

  • A clear indication of which program you are applying for (studio, critical, or curatorial). Please do not apply to more than one program at a time.
  • A resume or C.V. including name, address, and telephone number (school and/or permanent)
  • The school you are currently attending or have attended, degree program, and expected date of graduation (may be included in your C.V.)
  • Two letters of recommendation. Applicants will submit recommenders’ contact information in the application and the recommenders will be notified by email about how to upload their letters of recommendation
  • A statement discussing your work, educational experience, and intellectual interests (no more than 1500 words)

There are no submission fees and no tuition.

Participants in the ISP Symposium.
Participants in the ISP Symposium.

ISP Symposium, 2015. Photograph by Filip Wolak

In addition to the general application, all Studio Program applicants must also submit examples of recent work with brief descriptions of media and scale. Please do not submit more than 15 examples. 

If submitting film or video examples, please include these as links (hosted on a website, Vimeo, YouTube or other platform). Film and video submissions should not exceed 30 minutes in total. If linking to a longer program, please indicate timestamps or sections to be viewed.   

In addition to the general application, all Critical Studies applicants must also include:

  • Writing sample (no more than 15 pages)
  • An individual research project proposal (no more than 4 pages)

In addition to the general application, all Curatorial Program applicants must also include:

  • Writing sample (no more than 15 pages)
  • An exhibition proposal (no more than 2 pages)

Those eligible for participation in the ISP include graduate students, candidates for advanced postgraduate degrees, undergraduates with a demonstrated capacity for advanced scholarship, or those who have recently completed formal academic study. However, there are no degree requirements to apply. The ISP welcomes international applications and can provide a J-1 cultural visa if needed.

The ISP provides studios or workspaces for all participants in a facility that includes areas to gather and share meals. The curriculum of the program is designed around weekly seminars with visiting artists, scholars and members of faculty as well as film screenings and readings. 

Participants are expected to attend all seminars and events, as well as work in assigned studios or workspaces at the facility. If you are accepted into the ISP, you are expected to be an active participant in the community of practitioners gathered at the program. There are no remote options for seminars, visits, or events, unless pandemic conditions, health concerns or accommodations require alternative planning. 

 The Lichtenstein Studio is a shared space for work and study among Participants and staff.  Participants have 24 hour / 7 day access to the facility for activities related to the Program, unless otherwise determined by the Museum. 

Credit may be granted by the students’ home universities for work done in the ISP. Most cooperating schools grant twelve to sixteen credits for participation in the program. Students need to make the necessary arrangements to receive credit.

The application period is currently closed.

There is no tuition to study at the ISP. There are no application fees to be paid to the ISP.  

After a preliminary review of applications by a five person committee chaired by the director, arrangements will be made to interview final candidates. All interviews will be conducted remotely.

ISP encourages international applications. If you are accepted into the program and require a J-1 Visa, please read below for more information. 

J-1 Visa 

The Whitney Museum can sponsor a J-1 Visa classified as a “Trainee.” Please familiarize yourself with the terms of a J-1 Visa by consulting with federal and state resources such as BridgeUSA.  

Accepted international participants are responsible for completing all the necessary J-1 Visa paperwork, embassy appointments and associated costs. The J-1 Visa application process also requires interacting with Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). If you already possess a Visa more suitable for living and working in the US, we strongly recommend that you keep the strongest Visa available to you.  

Programs

Installation of 5 artworks in a gallery space
Installation of 5 artworks in a gallery space

Installation view of the call is coming from inside the house (EFA Project Space, New York, May 18–June 1, 2019) by the ISP Studio Program 2018–19 

An audience sits in front of a panel discussion. There is a projected slide that reads Whitney Independent Study Program.
An audience sits in front of a panel discussion. There is a projected slide that reads Whitney Independent Study Program.

ISP Symposium, 2019. Photograph by Filip Wolak

Students in a seminar room
Students in a seminar room

Artist Fred Wilson preparing to lead a seminar at the ISP space at 384 Broadway, 1993.

Studio Program

The Studio participants will have access to a modest studio space, fostering an experimental environment across various artistic mediums. In addition, they will have the opportunity to engage with established artists and thinkers and hone their collaborative skills through hands-on experiences and mentorship. At the end of the program participants may present a finished or unfinished work (individual or collaborative) for an exhibition.  

Elaine G. Weitzen Studio Program Fellows:

Nooshin Askari
Paige Bradley
Dahlia Bloomstone
Cheeny Celebrado-Royer
Rhea Dillon
Niloufar Emamifar
Valentina Jager
Ash Moniz
Daniel Melo Morales 
Iulia Nistor
Pegah Pasalar
Chantal Peñalosa
Alex Schmidt
Julia Taszycka
misra walker

Critical Studies Program

Critical Studies participants engage in individual scholarly research and critical writing projects through writing workshops and tutorials with faculty. In May, Critical Studies students present their research at a public symposium.

Helena Rubinstein Critical Studies Program Fellows:

Joanna Evans
Sahar Khraibani
Stella Liantonio
Genevieve Lipinsky de Orlov
Adrienne Oliver
Stephen Woo

Curatorial Program

Curatorial students collaborate to produce an exhibition. Once a proposal has been approved by the ISP guest curator, the students proceed to select artworks, arrange loans, design and oversee the installation of the exhibition. The students write essays for and participate in the production of a publication accompanying their exhibition. 

Helena Rubinstein Curatorial Program Fellows:

Kennedy Jones
Tamara Khasanova
Ntshadi Mofokeng
Beatriz Ortega Botas

2023 catalogue
2022 catalogue
2022 catalogue (screen readable)
2020 catalogue
2019 exhibition images
2018 catalogue
2017 exhibition images
2017 poster
2016 poster
2014 poster
2013 poster
2012 poster

Course Structure

Faculty
The faculty of the ISP is available to meet individually with all members of the program to discuss their work or more general practical, theoretical, or historical questions. The program’s regular and visiting faculty members include Sharon Hayes, Andrea Fraser, Cassandra Guan, Glenn Ligon, Dave McKenzie, Pamela Sneed, and more.

Seminars
Each week on Tuesday and Thursday from 3PM-5PM, a professional artist, theorist, or historian conducts a seminar at the program. Members of all three components of the program participate in these seminars. This seminar provides an occasion for the group to collectively study and discuss contemporary critical theory.

Community Fridays 
Community Fridays are held every week from 10AM-6PM, designed to foster connection and collaboration. The day begins with an assembly from 10AM-11AM, where ISP reviews logistics, answers questions, and provides a space for reflection and open discussion. Throughout the day, participants enjoy one-on-one visits with visiting artists, curators, and thinkers. From 1PM-2PM, everyone gathers for a community meal, prepared by fellow cohort members. The afternoon is dedicated to collective experimentation through workshops from 3PM-5PM.

Two people sitting in an artist studio surrounded by paintings.
Two people sitting in an artist studio surrounded by paintings.

David Diao and Barbara Buckman at the ISP studio, 1982. Box 5, Folder 5, Historical Photographs Collection, Frances Mulhall Achilles Library and Archives, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY. Photograph by Alex Hahn

KJ Abudu
Candida Alvarez
Itziar Barrio
Morgan Bassichis
Martin Beck
Daniel Bozhkov
Alejandro Cesarco
T.J. Demos
Adrienne Edwards
Denise Ferreira da Silva Andrea Fraser
Jennifer Gonzalez
Rachel Haidu
Shadi Harouni
Laura Harris
Chrissie Iles
Rashid Johnson
Mary Kelly
Arnold Kemp
Agnieszka Kurant
Joy Ladin
Glenn Ligon
Dave McKenzie
John Menick
Tavia Nyong'o
Meg Onli
Yvonne Rainer
Cameron Rowland Pamela Sneed
A.L. Steiner
Adam Weinberg


KJ Abudu
Candida Alvarez
Itziar Barrio
Daniel Bozhkov
Paul Chan
Howie Chen
Jace Clayton
Valentina Desideri
JJJJJerome Ellis
Silvia Federici
Denise Ferreira da Silva
Andrea Fraser
Andrea Geyer
Jennifer Gonzalez
Jonathan Gonzalez
Cassandra Guan
Cat Gund
Rachel Haidu
Shadi Harouni
Sharon Hayes
Barbara Held
Zakiyyah Jackson
Joan Jonas
Byron Kim
Christine Sun Kim
Tania El Khoury
Agnieszka Kurant
Joy Ladin
Glenn Ligon
Lana Lin
Thomas Mader
Catherine Malabou
Dave McKenzie
Jason Moran
Eileen Myles
Sina Najafi
Daniel Neumann
Tavia Nyong'o
Paul Pfeiffer
Walid Raad
Kahmeelah Rasheed
Cameron Rowland
Michael Rakowitz
Paul Ramirez Jonas
Pamela Sneed
A.L Steiner
Aneta Stojnić
Cecilia Vecuña
Constantina Zavitsanos

ISP Alumni

ISP alumni who need to update their contact information or order a replacement membership card may reach out to memberinfo@whitney.org

A New Home at the Roy Lichtenstein Studio

The Whitney Museum of American Art has transformed artist Roy Lichtenstein’s Greenwich Village studio into a permanent home for the ISP.

Learn More

Upcoming Events

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Exhibitions

Large cartoon crab with big eyes in a room, with floating fish and bottles on the floor. Text reads: "FOR HE HAD NEVER SEEN HIS FUTURE WIFE WITHOUT FIRST STOPPING AT THE BANK."

Prototype
May 9–25, 2025

Curated by Juana Berrío and the 2024–2025 Studio Program Elaine G. Weitzen Fellows.

Abstract black and white artwork with swirling lines and textured patterns in a black frame.

a grammar of attention
May 9–18, 2025

a grammar of attention is curated by Bea Ortega Botas, Kennedy Hollins Jones, Tamara Khasanova, and Ntshadi Mofokeng.

A black square centered on a beige paper with decorative borders and Arabic script at the bottom.

Not Everything is Given
May 9–24, 2024

Curated by Ella den Elzen, Alper Turan, Gervais Marsh, and Carlota Ortiz Monasterio, the 2023–2024 Helena Rubinstein Curatorial Fellows of the Independent Study Program.

Split screen with a hand holding a number 7 card on the left and a child peeking from behind a clear bag on the right.

At Odds With
May 9–24, 2024

At Odds With presents recent work by the 2023–24 Independent Study Program Studio Program participants. 

A person walks down a dusty road holding a large number of plastic bottles.

Clocking Out: Time Beyond Management
May 17–28, 2023

Curated by KJ Abudu, Zachary B. Feldman, Emily Small, and Johanna Thorell, the 2022–2023 Helena Rubinstein Curatorial Fellows of the Independent Study Program.

A person painted in green lays face down against a collaged background.

in/stasis
May 20–29, 2022

Curated by Daría Sól Andrews, Sally Eaves Hughes, and Klaudia Ofwona Draber, the 2021–22 Helena Rubinstein Curatorial Fellows of the Independent Study Program.

Words written in the sky.

After La vida nueva
August 7–31, 2020

Curated by Weiyi Chang, Sofia Jamal, Colleen O’Connor, and Patricio Orellana, Helena Rubinstein Curatorial Fellows of the Independent Study Program, 2019–20.

A grainy film still of a person holding their arms in the air.

Always, Already, Haunting, "Disss-co," Haunt
May 24–June 15, 2019

Curated by Nia Nottage, Gwyneth Shanks, and Simon Wu, Helena Rubinstein Curatorial Fellows of the Independent Study Program, 2018–19.

Tunnel at night with light.

Omnipresence
May 24–Jun 16, 2018

Curated by Elisa R. Linn, Joseph Lubitz, Ellen Pavey, and Manabu Yahagi, Helena Rubinstein Curatorial Fellows of the Independent Study Program, 2017–18.

Photograph of a running track.

That I am reading backwards and into for a purpose, to go on:
May 23–June 10, 2017

Curated by Magdalyn Asimakis, Jared Quinton and Alexandra Symons Sutcliffe, Helena Rubinstein Curatorial Fellows of the Independent Study Program,  2016–17. 

Jewelry glint with bright light on a black background.

On Limits:
Estrangement in the Everyday
May 24–June 11, 2016

Curated by Daniella Rose King, Viktor Neumann, Samuele Piazza, and Kari Rittenbach, Helena Rubinstein Curatorial Fellows of the Independent Study Program, 2015–16.

S/N
May 22–June 13, 2015

Curated by Alexander Fleming, Anya Komar, and Blair Murphy, Helena Rubinstein Curatorial Fellows of the Independent Study Program, 2014–15.

Three people wearing hard hats stand on a dry hillside, looking at a marked rectangular area below.

Common Spaces
May 23–June 14, 2014

Curated by Maria Teresa Annarumma, Molly Everett, Joo Yun Lee, and Kristine Jærn Pilgaard, Helena Rubinstein Curatorial Fellows of the Independent Study Program, 2013–14.

Person punctures wall with staple gun.

Maintenance Required
May 30–June 22, 2013

Curated by Nina Horisaki-Christens, Andrea Neustein, Victoria Rogers, and Jason Waite, Helena Rubinstein Curatorial Fellows of the Independent Study Program, 2012–13.

Water with wooden pier logs sticking out.

Undercurrents:
Experimental Ecosystems in Recent Art
May 27–June 19, 2010

Curated by Anik Fournier, Michelle Lim, Amanda Parmer and Robert Wuilfe, Whitney Independent Study Program Curatorial Fellows, 2009–2010.

Books lined up in a red room.

Creative Destruction
May 24–June 16, 2012

Curated by denisse andrade, Liz Park, Tim Saltarelli, and Kristina Scepanski, Helena Rubinstein Curatorial Fellows of the Whitney Museum of American Art Independent Study Program, 2011–12.

Foreclosed:
Between Crisis and Possibility
May 20–June 11, 2011

Curated by Jennifer Burris, Sofía Olascoaga, Sadia Shirazi, and Gaia Tedone, Helena Rubinstein Curatorial Fellows of the Whitney Independent Study Program, 2010–11.

Event Archive

79 events

Generous support for the Independent Study Program is provided by endowments created by Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo, the Dorothea L. Leonhardt Foundation, the Elaine Graham Weitzen Foundation for Fine Art, and the Helena Rubinstein Foundation.

Significant support is provided by The Capital Group Charitable Foundation and Margaret Morgan and Wesley Phoa.

Additional support is provided by an endowment created by George S. Harris.

On the Hour

A 30-second online art project:
Maya Man, A Realistic Day In My Life Living In New York City

Learn more about this project

Learn more at whitney.org/artport

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