The Center for Hellenic Studies invites external proposals for conferences, workshops, and other events to be held at its Washington, D.C. campus.
Proposed events can engage with any aspect of the ancient Greek world and its complex legacies, from any disciplinary lens. The center especially welcomes pitches for programs that demonstrate an engagement with new directions, evidence, or methodologies. In reviewing proposals, the CHS will consider events’ potential for broad impact on the field and/or their capacity to engage the public.
The CHS can support events by contributing to participants’ travel to/from Washington, DC. The center can also provide in-kind costs, such as the use of our event space, certain meals, and on-campus lodging for up to six during the academic year or up to fifteen during the summer.
Our program proposals follow an annual cycle that closes in the spring. In the current cycle, applications are due by March 1, 2026 for events taking place in September 2026 or later.
Event Formats
The center can accommodate a range of formats, from small roundtable colloquia to multi-day conferences. Our event space has two primary configurations:
- roundtable format (max. 20 participants)
- panel/lecture style (max. 50 participants)
Our programs are regularly structured as hybrid events, which can be made open to a wider, global audience. Past events have included roundtable colloquia for up to twenty invited scholars, small group workshops aimed at exploring a new project, and conferences with up to fifty attendees and a large global audience via Zoom.
When supporting a workshop, conference, or colloquium, we generally provide
- Contributions toward participants’ travel to/from Washington, DC
- Use of our event space, plus staffing assistance
- Coffee and light fare for mornings and breaks
- Lunch for conference attendees/participants (on weekdays)
- On-campus housing for up to six participants (or up to fifteen in the summer)
- Subject to staff availability, a closing dinner for up to thirty-five participants
Guidelines
Please fill out our event form and attach a proposed budget. You may draft your budget using this budget calculator, which includes all standard costs (including those provided in kind).
Proposals should
- articulate how the program supports the mission of the center;
- demonstrate an engagement with new directions, evidence, or methodologies;
- demonstrate due diligence in seeking external funding or partnerships;
- bring together participants representative of the diversity of the field whenever possible;
- outline reasonable goals of the event within the limited timeframe;
- consider carefully the appropriate format of the event to achieve those goal; and
- include a plan for moving the project forward after the event or potential deliverables.
You may draft your budget using our calculator, which includes all costs (including those provided in-kind). Funding can be used for flights, train fare, and mileage (for those driving). Other expenses are not covered. Applicants should use estimates provided by the General Services Administration. In-kind costs include meals, housing on campus, A/V equipment and support staff, and use of our events space.
In your budget, please indicate external sources of funding.
Meals
The only meal regularly served on campus is lunch, which is held 12:30–1:30, Monday through Friday. For those staying on campus, light breakfast fare (fruit, coffee, pastries) is typically provided in our guest rooms. Pending staff availability, we can also provide meals that serve a programmatic role, such as dinners for presenters the night before an event or post-conference banquets.
Library Use
If participants would like to use the library, they must fill out an application requesting access. Approval is not guaranteed. Before use is granted, participants must complete a library orientation.
Visitors should adhere to all library policies. If exceptions are requested, they must be specified in the event form and are subject to approval. Conference organizers are responsible for ensuring that their participants abide by all the rules and policies of the Center and the library.
Approval Process
After applications for proposals close, our programs team will review your application and reach out with any questions.
If approved, then the event is tentatively added to the calendar; if rejected, notification sent to applicant or, in some cases, with revisions (e.g., approved with certain restrictions). One a program is approved, any subsequent major changes must be resubmitted with justification/explanation to programs and subject to approval.