The American Academy in Rome (AAR) has announced that it will be shutting down its campus in Rome in response to the novel coronavirus-19 epidemic. 

In a letter published to the AAR website, Mark Robbins,
AAR President and CEO, writes, “In consideration of the safety of those residing in Rome and the institution as a whole, we have made the difficult decision to close the Academy’s campus on April 3.”

Robbins adds, “While the situation continues to rapidly change in both Italy and the United States, it is clear that this will continue for months. The AAR has done its best to keep the community safe in the weeks since the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy, but is no longer able to house everyone until the end of the Fellowship year. All who are able to leave before April 3 are being encouraged to do so.” 

In order to help the current crop of Rome Prize fellows, who are typically in residence at AAR for between six months and a year, AAR “will continue to support our Fellows in every way we can, including the continuation of stipends through the Fellowship period,” Robbins writes.