Organizer Information
BAR Project is an independent platform dedicated to research, artistic creation, and critical thinking in contemporary visual arts. Based in Barcelona, it supports experimental practices and the development of new artistic ideas through research, reflection, and creative exchange.
The Barcelona Crea – BAR Project Research Grant is an initiative supported by the Institut de Cultura de Barcelona (ICUB), part of Barcelona City Council. The program aims to strengthen the city's cultural and scientific ecosystem by providing resources for artistic research and experimentation before the production stage. Through this collaboration, BAR Project offers selected applicants financial support and a mentored period to develop their proposals.
Title & Description
Barcelona Crea – BAR Project 2026 Research Grant
The Barcelona Crea – BAR Project 2026 Research Grant supports artists, creators, and researchers working in visual arts who need time and resources to investigate, conceptualize, experiment with, and develop a new artistic project before production.
The grant focuses on the research and pre-production stages of artistic practice rather than the realization of a fully completed work. Eligible proposals may be at the stages of initial ideation, research, documentation, experimentation, rehearsal, or prototyping. Projects must be new and must not have been publicly presented previously or already completed the development stages covered by the grant.
Applicants must demonstrate a meaningful connection to Barcelona or its metropolitan area. This connection may arise from the project's subject matter, the applicant's residence, or their professional and cultural involvement in the city's artistic community.
Categories
- Visual Arts
- Artistic Research
- Experimental and Research-Based Art Practices
- Conceptualization, Documentation, and Prototyping
The call specifically identifies visual arts as its eligible modality. Applicants should ensure that their proposals align with artistic research and development before production.
Eligibility
The call is open to adult applicants of any nationality who meet at least one of the following conditions:
- They reside in Barcelona or its metropolitan area.
- Their proposed project has a meaningful relationship with Barcelona or its metropolitan area.
- They have demonstrable professional or cultural connections to the local arts sector.
Eligible applicants include visual artists, creators, and researchers. Proposals may be submitted by individuals or collectives, subject to the application requirements.
Projects must be unpublished and in development. Previously presented works, revisions or restagings of existing creations, and projects that have already completed the development stages funded by the grant are not eligible.
Applicants should also check the grant's compatibility restrictions. Projects that have previously received certain Barcelona City Council grants or related Barcelona Crea funding may be excluded. Individuals or legal entities that received funding under the specified Barcelona Crea programs during the previous two years are also ineligible.
Program Benefits & Awards
Selected applicants receive:
- €6,000 gross in financial support.
- A mentored residency period with BAR Project.
- Time and resources to advance artistic research and experimentation.
- An opportunity to present their research process or its outcomes publicly in January 2027.
The grant is paid in a single advance payment after the selection decision and formal agreement with BAR Project. The funding is intended to support the project's development before production.
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 30 October 2026
- Selection announcement: 13 November 2026
- Research and development period: Mid-November 2026 to 31 January 2027
- Public presentation: January 2027
- Final report deadline: 15 February 2027
Location
Barcelona, Spain
Additional Details
Applications will be evaluated on four main criteria: the artistic and conceptual interest of the proposal, the quality of its research and experimentation, its alignment with the grant's objectives, its feasibility in terms of methodology and resources, and the applicant's artistic trajectory and the coherence of their practice with the proposed project.
Selected beneficiaries must comply with the approved project schedule, attend monitoring meetings when requested, provide interim materials or reports if required, and submit a final report by 15 February 2027. They must also acknowledge the support of ICUB and BAR Project, using the required logos and credit statement in relevant communications and promotional materials.
Applicants retain responsibility for authorship and compliance with intellectual property regulations. However, beneficiaries grant the relevant institutions non-exclusive exploitation rights over resulting works for educational, promotional, dissemination, and public communication purposes, as specified in the official guidelines. Applicants should review these provisions carefully before applying.