Eleanor Merritt Fellow – John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Florida State University

Develop your career as the next Eleanor Merritt Fellow at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Florida — the state art museum governed by Florida State University.

Applications for the 2026 Eleanor Merritt Fellowship are now being accepted until April 13, 2026. Information sessions available, details below.

The Eleanor Merritt Fellowship is a full-time staff position at The Ringling that develops future leaders interested in cultural heritage careers. Merritt Fellows learn from museum leaders, conduct research, and complete arts administration projects focusing on Strategic Plan commitments to increase community engagement. The ultimate goal for the fellowship is to promote the fellow’s onward academic and career success within the cultural heritage field (e.g., museums, historic homes, archives, libraries, performing arts theaters, arboretums, etc.). Learn more about The Ringling here (link to: https://www.ringling.org/).

To learn more and apply for the Merritt Fellowship, please visit:

Anticipated Salary Range: $50,000 annually.

Applications due: April 13, 2026.

Information Sessions Available

To meet the current Merritt Fellow, learn more about the fellowship, and ask questions, register for a Zoom info session with one of the links below:

February 16, 2026 @ 1:00pm EST:

February 24, 2026 @ 6:00pm EST:

The Eleanor Merritt Fellowship is a career-pipeline opportunity named to honor Eleanor Merritt (1933-2019), a prolific artist, educator, arts advocate and The Ringling’s first African American docent and board member. In 2022, The Ringling highlighted Merritt’s career as an artist, educator, and advocate in its exhibition: Eleanor Merritt: Remembrance.

Please send all questions about the Eleanor Merritt Fellowship to academic.affairs@ringling.org.