Currently 18 active research and journalism grants, fellowships and residencies open to applicants in the EU. Hand-curated and updated weekly. Almost every entry is funded; a few notable unpaid open calls and festival submissions are included as clearly flagged exceptions. Browse the list below, or use the interactive desk for filtering and shortlisting.
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This scheme funds cultural heritage institutions in the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom that want to collaborate with foreign heritage institutions on research projects in shared collection areas, including art historical and provenance research. A development phase can also be funded, covering travel, accommodation and presentation costs while the collaboration is being shaped. CONDITIONS: the applicant institution must be publicly accessible and manage nationally significant cultural heritage; it must partner with comparable institutions abroad; the research must be presented by both the Dutch and the international partners; the applicant must contribute significantly to financing the project; and the international partners' share of costs must be proportional to the Mondriaan Fund grant. AMOUNTS: up to 40% of variable project costs for the main project, or up to 70% of variable costs capped at EUR 15,000 for development research. APPLY through the Mondriaan Fund online application system after registering an account. Deadline 10 September 2026 before 16:00 Dutch time / 10:00 Caribbean time (an earlier 28 May 2026 round has passed).
Cittadellarte is recruiting a Visiting Research Curator to shape the research arc of the UNIDEE Residency Modules for 2027-2028, the role most recently held by Nina Fiocco and Gaia Martino. Founded by Michelangelo Pistoletto in 1999, the residency has hosted thousands of artists and cultural professionals from 52 countries. WHAT THEY WANT: rather than a fixed theme set in advance, they want a curator who brings their own line of inquiry and develops it collectively through the modules. Suggested thematic areas are the evolving landscape of socially engaged art practices, research-driven and process-oriented practice, and the conditions of cultural work and cultural workers, aligned with UNIDEE's focus on artistic research in response to ecological, geopolitical and technological challenges. They also flag a specific interest in how contemporary art practices are archived, drawing on the UNIDEE archive, which documents over two decades of socially engaged art initiatives. THIS IS A JOB, NOT A GRANT: the duties list is long and operational. It covers proposing the overarching curatorial theme, designing and delivering a minimum of 8 weekly residential modules per year, writing the curatorial statement and resident open call, recruiting mentors and guests, selecting residents, hosting and facilitating every module in person, communications and website texts, a dissemination strategy, and conceiving and editing publications. There is also teaching-adjacent work with the Unidee Academy of Contemporary Arts, including public lectures and studio visits. Budget the time before applying. PROFILE: experience curating art in the public sphere and socially engaged art, specialised knowledge of international contemporary art, experience designing experimental and collaborative educational activities, and experience with artistic research and dissemination standards. Excellent English required; Italian welcome but not essential. APPLYING: online form with a project proposal of maximum 5000 characters stating your vision for the modules programme and a development strategy including possible mentors and guests, plus a CV, a portfolio of maximum three relevant projects, and TWO LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION, so line up your referees early. A jury of the UNIDEE Advisory Board, the Director of Cittadellarte and invited experts decides. They do not give feedback on unsuccessful proposals.
The Dossiersubsidie is the Fonds BJP scheme for freelance regional and local journalists in the Netherlands who want to follow one subject properly rather than chase daily news, funding up to EUR 19,200 for six months of sustained reporting on a single dossier. It is aimed at the gap left by shrinking regional newsrooms, where structural coverage of local government, housing, care or industry rarely gets paid time. ELIGIBILITY: freelance journalists working in Dutch regional and local media only (staff journalists and national-only reporters are directed to the fund's other schemes). The fund also runs a year-round Vooronderzoekssubsidie of up to EUR 8,800 for preliminary research and a year-round Uitvoeringssubsidie of up to EUR 38,600 for carrying out projects, both open to all journalists. APPLICATION WINDOW: 17 August to 14 September 2026, via the Fonds BJP subsidy portal. Online office hours on 8 September 2026; questions on 020 63 86 295.
Small curiosity-driven research grants in the social sciences and humanities, awarded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). Round 3 of the 2026 SSH Open Competition XS closes 15 September 2026, 14:00 CEST. Up to EUR 50,000 per project to enable researchers to pursue novel, exploratory and high-risk ideas without the constraints of larger themed calls. ELIGIBILITY: academic researchers with an institutional affiliation at a Dutch university or recognised Dutch knowledge institute. Proposals are assessed on scientific quality and the potential for renewal of social-sciences and humanities research. Round 3 details and the dedicated application page will be published by NWO closer to the deadline; the linked page is the most recent SSH XS round, which is the same scheme.
Heritage Innovation funds projects and research tracks that contribute to substantive innovation in the heritage sector. Examples given by the fund include developing new narratives about cultural heritage, strengthening regional collaboration across the sector, redesigning how a collection is presented, and feasibility studies on technological applications such as AI or gamification, which makes this one of the more tech-adjacent Mondriaan schemes. WHO CAN APPLY: museums and collection-holding cultural heritage institutions, including archives, in the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. Cultural organisations in the heritage sector may also apply if they collaborate with one or more collection-holding institutions. All applicants must be non-profit, not-for-profit entities. NOT FUNDED: fixed costs, restoration, building museums, or regular operations. CONDITIONS: institutions must subscribe to the Fair Practice Code, the Culture Governance Code and the Diversity and Inclusion Code, and must pay visual artists fairly where artists are involved. AMOUNTS: projects get up to 40% of variable project-related costs on a minimum project budget of EUR 25,000; research tracks get up to 70% of costs capped at EUR 15,000 with no minimum budget. APPLY through the Mondriaan Fund online system after registering an account. Deadline 17 September 2026 before 16:00 Dutch time / 10:00 Caribbean time.
The Royal Conservatoire Antwerp (AP University of the Arts) invites applications for artistic research projects starting 20 September 2027, in three types: start projects, one-year projects, and two-year research projects. Applications are embedded in one or more of the Conservatoire's four research groups, supervised by a supervisor, and must align with the Conservatoire's mission and vision. FOCAL POINTS across disciplines: research into improvisation and intuitive creation and performance practices; new dramaturgical and scenographic approaches in cross-over projects; methodologies for interdisciplinary creation processes; sustainable relationships between artists and urban communities; the possibilities and limitations of inclusion in education and/or on stage; and well-being and resilience in music and performing arts. FUNDING (salaried research position): start projects, 20% employment for 12 months plus EUR 1,000 operating resources; one-year projects, 55% employment for 12 months plus EUR 1,000; two-year projects, 55% employment for 24 months plus EUR 2,000. PRECONDITIONS: the applicant holds a relevant master's degree and conducts research situated in or arising from their own artistic practice with the capacity for discursivity; the proposal must align with the Conservatoire's mission/vision; the applicant must be able to enter contractual employment with the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp/AP University of the Arts for the duration of the project (international applicants must hold a valid Belgian work permit); proposals may be submitted only in Dutch or English. PROCEDURE (two steps): STEP 1, submit an expression of interest by 21 September 2026, 12:00 noon (applicants informed by the week of 5 October whether they may develop a full proposal with a research group); STEP 2, submit the full project dossier by 1 December 2026, 12:00 noon. Evaluation by an independent reading committee aims to conclude in March 2027. Contact: Kevin Voets, Head of Research, kevin.voets@ap.be.
Horizon Europe Cluster 2 funds research on culture, creativity, and inclusive society. The 2026 call (HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-HERITAGE, launched May 12, 2026) covers 7 topics with an indicative budget of €85.5 million. Topic HERITAGE-04 is explicitly titled 'Towards a fair and transparent market for cultural and creative content in the era of generative AI,' covering: impacts of generative AI on creative industries employment; upskilling needs for creative workers; policy and regulatory frameworks; fair remuneration and transparency. Highly relevant for research into AI and cultural/creative industries, artists' rights in the AI era, and sociotechnical studies of AI and culture. ELIGIBILITY: consortium-based applications (minimum 3 organisations from 3 different EU/associated countries are typical for Horizon RIA grants; check call conditions on the Funding & Tenders portal for specific requirements). Deadline: 23 September 2026. Apply via the EU Funding & Tenders portal (ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders).
Fully funded four-year PhD position (third-cycle subject: Information and Communication Technology) on Feminist AI Addressing Gender-Based Violence, supervised by Associate Professor Amir Hossein Payberah at the Department of Computing and Learning Systems. The project develops AI methods that make online gender-based violence visible by detecting not only explicit abuse but also the structural silences and omissions that shape digital narratives, combining large language models, NLP and machine learning to identify missing voices, hidden patterns and gaps in institutional accountability. The doctoral student will develop novel ML models and evaluation methods, construct large-scale datasets and knowledge graphs, collaborate with feminist organizations and civil society partners, and publish in leading AI venues. ELIGIBILITY: a second-cycle (master's) degree, or at least 240 higher education credits including 60 second-cycle credits, or substantially equivalent knowledge, plus English equivalent to Swedish English B/6. APPLY via KTH's recruitment system (reference number PA-2026-2872) with certified copies of diplomas and grades, CV, an application letter of maximum 2 pages, representative publications or technical reports, and contact details for two to three academic references. Deadline 24 September 2026 at midnight CEST.
The American Academy in Berlin is an independent, nonprofit institute for advanced study in the arts, humanities, social sciences, law, journalism and public policy, whose primary mission is to strengthen the cultural and intellectual ties between the United States and Germany. Each year, after a rigorous selection process, the Academy awards roughly two dozen semester-long Berlin Prize fellowships to individuals who demonstrate excellence in their fields. DISCIPLINES: applications are welcome across the humanities, social sciences, law, journalism and various areas of public policy. The Academy generally encourages projects addressing pressing issues of the day, specifically naming democracy, security, technology and society (especially AI), energy including climate, and global order. Dedicated fellowships also support projects in Jewish studies, German studies, and public health and biotechnology. Project proposals need not focus on Germany, but candidates should explain how a residency in Berlin would enhance their work. NOT ACCEPTED: proposals in mathematics or the natural sciences. NOTE FOR ARTISTS: visual artists and composers are invited through separate, nomination-based competitions, so there is no open application route for them here. ELIGIBILITY: fellowships are restricted to citizens and permanent residents of the United States. Both emerging and established figures are eligible. PhD holders qualify as emerging scholars with a strong record of peer-reviewed work beyond the dissertation; candidates in non-academic fields such as journalism, filmmaking and policy need a significant record of publication or production; fiction and nonfiction writers must have published at least one book with a reputable press. WHAT FELLOWS DO: fellows present their work to audiences in and around Berlin through lectures, readings, public discussions, performances and film screenings, and should be willing to engage with relevant German institutions, organizations and the media; these activities are integral to the Academy's mission of fostering transatlantic dialogue. APPLICATION MATERIALS: a project proposal of 1,500 to 1,750 words plus a one-page bibliography; a curriculum vitae of up to 10 pages; two writing samples totalling no more than 60 pages; and three letters of recommendation, which are due 2 October 2026. DEADLINE: Friday 25 September 2026 at 12:00 noon Eastern Time (18:00 Central European Time). TIMELINE: all candidates are notified of the competition outcome by email in late March 2027; the 2027-28 Berlin Prize recipients are announced in May 2027.
ELIGIBILITY: two Researcher-in-Residence positions in 2027. Open to early-career researchers of any discipline (data science, social science, computer science, humanities) who are currently working on a PhD or within 5 years of their PhD end date. You must have, or be able to secure, an affiliation with a Dutch university or research institute willing to second you; external PhD students may use the funding to obtain such a contract. Your project must make use of one or more of the KB digital collections and you must be able to work with primarily Dutch data. You must be available at 0.5 FTE over 6 months and able to spend two days a week on-site at the KB in The Hague. COLLECTIONS: over 130 million digitized pages of newspapers, magazines, radio bulletins and books from 1470 onward (via Delpher and DBNL), a born-digital web collection of more than 23,000 websites, ground-truth and derived datasets on the KB Lab, and metadata including Linked Data. APPLY: use the official proposal template and submit a single PDF by 27 September 2026 to dh@kb.nl, after reading the call's terms and conditions; questions to dh@kb.nl. TIMELINE: deadline 27 September 2026; internal eligibility review followed by an external committee review; outcome notified November 2026; residencies start Q1 and Q3 2027. DISCIPLINES: digital humanities / data science / computational research with cultural-heritage collections. NOTE: the output is usually a dataset or tool prototype hosted on the KB Lab; you agree to share results via blog posts on the KB Lab and to publish resulting tools or data under an open license within 6 months of the residency. Proposals should align with the KB Research Agenda or the Cultural AI Lab.
Resynthesising the Traditional is CTM Festival's long-term initiative co-curated by Stas Sharifulla, taking resynthesis (the computer-music method of analysing a sound to extract its components) as a metaphor for critically engaging with tradition and heritage, against conservative views of culture as frozen and untouchable. The artistic lab at its heart is an open toolbox for artists connecting to the traditional outside exoticisation, cultural essentialism and uneven power dynamics. THEME, AT THE EXTREME: this edition invites artists and practice-based researchers whose work examines the ethical, aesthetic and political implications of traditions entangled with extremity: intensity, transgression, transformation, marginality, outsiderness, endurance, conflict and excess. The call explicitly looks past the usual noise, violence and loud-popular-music tropes and past masculine codings of the extreme, toward current queer and feminist reframings, treating extremity as a relational condition, chosen or imposed, produced between majoritarian centres and their minoritarian outsides. Guiding questions include what it means to follow a tradition to its extreme consequences, who is allowed to push tradition to its limits and whose practices get framed as inauthentic or dangerous, what it means to practise tradition under war, displacement, repression or ecological crisis, and how traditions might offer ways of inhabiting extreme times. Preference goes to work engaging technological, bodily, aesthetic and theoretical forms at that intersection, especially in unexpected or rarely recognised ways. WHAT HAPPENS: theory and practice workshops from the co-hosts with individual and group exercises, closed 15 to 20 minute oral presentations by each participant, a solo public performance or presentation (15 to 20 minutes) at a free-entry event, inputs from specialists such as artists, researchers and technologists, guided individual and group sonic improvisations, field trips and site visits, and feedback sessions with the co-hosts and curators. AFTERWARDS: participants may propose new artistic work or research, solo or in collaborations formed at the lab, to the artistic team; selected works are shortlisted, and up to two are commissioned and presented at CTM in January/February 2028. ELIGIBILITY: an existing practice tied to (re)connecting with traditional ideas and sounds through a contemporary lens and how that overlaps with the extreme, plus clear ideas or questions about the next step you want to take. Approaches may be technological, instrument-focused, compositional, aesthetic, research-oriented or otherwise. Working knowledge of English is recommended, and any concerns about that can be flagged in the form. Up to six participants are selected by co-hosts Karina Utomo (extreme metal vocalist, composer and collaborative artist) and Luigi Monteanni (sound researcher and ethnomusicologist completing a PhD at SOAS on extreme metal in Bandung). The lab is a time-intensive full-day commitment and participants must agree to give the short public performance. APPLY through the form with a portfolio link (PDF, max 10 pages, public access, works from the last five years, text kept minimal) and a link to a specific audio track or section (max five minutes) that best represents your current practice. CTM asks that AI support rather than replace your own voice in the application. TIMELINE: deadline 28 September 2026; participants announced mid to late October 2026. Questions to resynth@ctm-festival.de.
A fully funded art-science residency from Ars Electronica and Ceske Budejovice, European Capital of Culture 2028, exploring how art and science can collaborate on urgent environmental challenges: climate emergence, sustainable agriculture, geoengineering, permaculture, water resource management, and the broader ecological impacts on local communities. Selected residents work in direct collaboration with local scientists in Ceske Budejovice. WHO CAN APPLY: artists, designers, creatives and artist collectives with more than 5 years of professional creative practice and documented interdisciplinary work; experience in community engagement and science collaborations is essential; applicants must be 18+, of any nationality, and legally eligible to work and travel in the EU. WHAT YOU GET: a EUR 24,000 package (EUR 6,000 artist fee, up to EUR 15,000 production, up to EUR 3,000 travel and subsistence) plus one month of housing covered separately; two winners are selected. STRUCTURE: the residency runs January 2027 to April 2028, with a required on-site stay of up to one month in February/March 2027, an optional stay in August/September 2027, and a March 2028 stay for festival installation, exhibition and deinstallation. HOW TO APPLY: online form with project title, a written proposal of max 250 words, a scientific direction statement (max 100 words), artistic vision (max 100 words), community connection plan (max 100 words), a super short pitch (3 to 30 words), 3 to 7 images, an optional 1-minute video, a portfolio link and contact information. Two-round selection (online application then interview); winners notified by November 2026. Deadline 28 September 2026 at midnight CET.
The European Cultural Foundation invites artists to research its historical archives, held at the Historical Archives of the European Union in Florence, through a new Artistic Research Fellowship with a EUR 10,000 grant covering travel, accommodation, and living costs; the artistic output is delivered within two years. A strong fit for archive-driven, research-based, and critical data practices. Deadline 30 September 2026, 17:00 CET. ELIGIBILITY: professional creatives in visual arts, performing arts, film and audiovisual practices, podcasting and audio storytelling, documentary, journalism or literary practices, who can demonstrate a research-based practice and a clear dissemination strategy. Applications and all supporting documentation must be in English, submitted via the online form. Fellows work at the HAEU inside the scholarly community of the European University Institute, with the archives housed at Villa Salviati. A parallel Academic Research Fellowship of EUR 5,000, for PhD and postdoctoral researchers, early-career researchers within ten years of their master's or doctorate, and independent scholars, is listed separately on the desk and shares this deadline.
The academic track of the ECF Fellowship Programme, which fosters new research engaging with the history of the European Cultural Foundation and the broader role of culture in European integration. The ECF was established in 1954 by figures including Denis de Rougemont, Robert Schuman, Hendrik Brugmans and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, on the belief that Europe will not be built by treaties alone. Over seventy years it has produced programmes, institutes, campaigns and collaborations, including a contribution to shaping and implementing the ERASMUS student mobility scheme. That legacy is now preserved at the Historical Archives of the European Union in Florence alongside the records of the EU's main institutions, a placement that itself recognises the Foundation's role in European integration. ELIGIBILITY for the Academic Research Fellowship: researchers in European studies, cultural studies, history and related fields across the humanities and social sciences, specifically PhD and postdoctoral researchers, early-career researchers within ten years of completing a master's or doctoral degree, and independent scholars with an active research profile. Fellows work at the HAEU embedded in the international scholarly community of the European University Institute, with the archives housed at Villa Salviati. Applications and all supporting documentation must be submitted in English through the online form. NOTE: this is the EUR 5,000 academic track. The EUR 10,000 Artistic Research Fellowship, open to professional creatives in visual arts, performing arts, film and audiovisual practices, podcasting and audio storytelling, documentary, journalism and literary practices, is listed separately on the desk and shares the same deadline.
The Research Networking Day (RND) is an exchange platform for graduate or postgraduate students and independent artists conducting self-guided research traversing audio, arts, media, design, and related theoretical disciplines. The RND 2027 open call seeks innovative and critical submissions from all areas of study addressing the CTM 2027 festival theme 'Process...ing'. Nine selected candidates give short ten-minute presentations within different modules, linked by discussion rounds at the end of each module, offering an international platform to exchange with colleagues and researchers working on related ideas; research is also shared via audio/video after the festival on CTM's YouTube and SoundCloud channels. This edition takes place in collaboration with the Design Academy Eindhoven, Universitat der Kunste Berlin (UdK), and Leuphana University Luneburg. CONDITIONS: presentations take place on-site within the festival's Discourse programme, in English; applications are for individual (solo) presentations only (no duos or groups). As in previous years, no funding is available for travel and accommodation; participants receive a CTM 2027 festival pass, a catered lunch on the day, and a group dinner. Entrance to the event is free. KEY DATES: application deadline 25 October 2026 at 23:59 CET; programme announced mid to late November 2026; RND 2027 event Sunday 24 January 2027; CTM 2027 runs 22 to 31 January 2027.
Stroom Den Haag's PRO Research scheme contributes to the costs of a research project or artist-in-residency that feeds the development of new work and benefits The Hague's art climate. WHO CAN APPLY: The Hague artists registered in the Stroom database with an updated profile (Mijn Stroom), and also curators, mediators, critics, publicists and others professionally active in the contemporary art world; applicants from outside The Hague submit a CV for consideration. APPLICATION: via the Stroom portal using Stroom's budget model, with amounts excluding VAT. NOT ELIGIBLE: applicants enrolled in (art) educational programmes (Bachelor, Master, postdoc, PhD) or art academy students, and post-academic work periods such as the Rijksakademie, De Ateliers, the Jan van Eyck Academie and the EKWC fall outside the funding scheme system. DEADLINE: the last 2026 round closes 25 October 2026 (rounds recur roughly every six weeks). The grant is valid for up to two years after the decision, with 80 percent paid upfront.
The Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp (AP University of Applied Sciences and Arts) invites applications for two-year artistic research projects starting 20 September 2027. Two-year research projects provide 55% employment for the research assignment over 24 months (as a contractual project staff member) plus EUR 2,000 in operating funds (EUR 1,000 per project year). Proposals are developed in collaboration with the Academy's research groups and must align with, endorse, and further develop the mission and vision of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp. PRECONDITIONS: the proposal must be in line with the Academy's mission/vision; the applicant must be legally employable by the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp/AP Hogeschool on a contractual basis; and, at the time of application, the applicant must hold a Master's degree in Visual Arts awarded by a Belgian higher education institution (a non-Belgian degree is possible only if validated or recognised through the NARIC procedure, with proof included or a declared willingness to undergo it). PROCEDURE (two steps): STEP 1, apply via the Expression of Interest form sent to research_royalacademyantwerp@ap.be before 3 November 2026, 12:00 noon (applicants informed no later than end November 2026 whether they may develop a full dossier); STEP 2, submit the full dossier via the two-year project application form before 1 February 2027, 12:00 noon. Evaluation by an independent reading committee aims to conclude in May 2027. Contact: research_royalacademyantwerp@ap.be.
OSIP is the European Space Agency's standing front door for unsolicited novel ideas, launched in 2019 and now the main entry point for new concepts into ESA, both in response to specific problems and through open calls. HOW IT WORKS: ideas are submitted through two mechanisms. Campaigns are targeted calls responding to specific questions with defined timelines (recent examples include Future Navigation Demonstrators and elements for the EOCognitiveLab mission); Channels are permanently open, open-ended calls on broader topics with no deadline. Submissions can go through an optional community discussion phase, with voting and comments, before expert evaluation by ESA. WHO CAN SUBMIT: individuals, businesses, universities and organisations anywhere in the world. The catch for funding: to implement a funded idea yourself, you must be eligible to do business with ESA under Article 18 of its procurement regulations, which in practice means affiliation with an entity in an ESA member state. WHAT FUNDING LOOKS LIKE: successful ideas are typically supported as co-funded PhD or postdoctoral research (ESA plus a university), early technology development activities, or system studies; amounts vary by route and campaign. WHY IT IS ON THE DESK: this is the one genuinely public, always-open route into ESA for independent researchers, technologists and artists working with space data or space technology concepts; new campaigns appear regularly, so checking the platform periodically is worthwhile. Submit via ideas.esa.int.