Woody Guthrie Fellowship Program accepting applications

The opening of the 5th Annual Woody Guthrie Fellowship Program was announced today by Ralph N. Jackson, President of the BMI Foundation, Inc., and Nora Guthrie, Executive Director of the Woody Guthrie Archives (WGA) and Foundation. Applications are invited from scholars who are pursuing research topics or themes related to Woody Guthrie that explore his creative work and contribution to American music and culture.

The program will award a limited number of research fellowships, with a value of up to $2,500 each, to fund travel and living expenses for scholars to use the rich and extensive holdings available at the WGA in New York City. The postmark deadline for applications is January 2, 2010 for projects beginning in 2010. Applications and information are available at www.bmifoundation.org.

Established in 1972, the Woody Guthrie Foundation is a non-profit organization that serves as administrator and caretaker of the Woody Guthrie Archives. Dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of information about Woody Guthrie's vast cultural legacy, the Woody Guthrie Archives houses the largest collection of Woody Guthrie material in the world. Since it's opening in 1996, the Woody Guthrie Archives have been a major success, becoming an important resource for the general public, musicians, singers, songwriters, scholars, and public and private cultural institutions wishing to access the research collection. More information on the Woody Guthrie Archives and Foundation may be found at www.woodyguthrie.org.

The BMI Foundation, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1985 to support the creation, performance and study of music through awards, scholarships, commissions and grants. Tax-deductible donations to the Foundation come primarily from songwriters, composers and publishers, BMI employees and members of the public with a special interest in music. Because both the Foundation staff and the distinguished members of the Advisory Panel serve without compensation, more than 97% of all donations and income are used for charitable grants.