CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
Dick Arndt Prize for an Outstanding Work on Cultural Diplomacy.
This biennial award honors Dr. Richard T. Arndt—a distinguished former Foreign Service Officer and founder of the Lois Roth Foundation—for his pioneering role in the nascent field of cultural diplomacy research. In addition to his articles and edited volumes, Dick’s influential history The First Resort of Kings: American Cultural Diplomacy in the Twentieth Century (2007) has itself become the first resort of many scholars and practitioners in the field of cultural diplomacy.
The Dick Arndt Prize is jointly awarded by the Lois Roth Foundation and the Public Diplomacy Council of America (PDCA) and carries a cash stipend of $1,000. The inaugural jury—co-chaired by Pauline Yang and Dr. Deb Cohn and composed of five members from PDCA and the Roth Foundation’s board of directors. For the initial competition this year, the deadline for submissions is Sunday, June 1, 2025.
Dick Arndt was in the first cohort of Fulbrighters to go to France, in 1950. Upon his return, he earned a PhD in French literature from Columbia Univ., before joining the Foreign Service in 1960. Dick specialized in cultural and educational diplomacy throughout his twenty-five years with USIA, serving in Beirut, Colombo, Tehran, Rome and Paris. After retiring, he served as the president of the US Fulbright [Alumni] Association, chaired the National Peace Foundation,and was president of Americans for UNESCO. In 1987, he created the Lois Roth Foundation for cross-cultural dialogue, in honor of his late wife Lois Roth, a pioneering officer in the US Foreign Service. (For more, see About the Foundation.)
The Dick Arndt Prize for an Outstanding Publication on Cultural Diplomacy will go to an outstanding English-language publication or production* that explores a topic in the international history of cultural diplomacy.* Works eligible for the 2025 Prize must have been published since the start of 2020.
The winning work need not be strictly scholarly but must: address an educated lay audience; be well-researched and thorough; and bring a critical perspective to the issue(s), time(s), place(s) and society(ies) it addresses.
- A production may include a book, documentary, podcast series, series of investigative articles, etc.
- Cultural Diplomacy is understood to involve governmental efforts to build mutual understanding with, as well as inform, engage and sometimes influence audiences in another country—most often by using means including cultural, artistic and educational programs, presentations and exchanges.
To apply, please complete this preliminary application.
The final deadline for submissions is Sunday, June 1, 2025. All entries must be submitted in digital form. Please contact the Lois Roth Foundation with any questions.