Organizer Information
The European Cultural Foundation (ECF) is an independent cultural organization established in 1954 to strengthen European cooperation through culture, education, and civic engagement. Founded by prominent European visionaries including Denis de Rougemont, Robert Schuman, Hendrik Brugmans, and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, the Foundation has spent more than seventy years supporting initiatives that promote a shared European identity, intercultural dialogue, and democratic participation. Throughout its history, ECF has initiated and supported influential cultural programmes and collaborations, including contributions to the development of the ERASMUS student mobility scheme.
The Foundation's historical records are preserved at the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU), hosted by the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. These archives document the Foundation's role in shaping post-war European cultural cooperation and provide valuable primary source material for researchers and creative practitioners interested in European history, culture, policy, and transnational collaboration.
To encourage new interpretations of its archival collections, the European Cultural Foundation offers an annual Fellowship Programme comprising two funding streams: the Academic Research Fellowship and the Artistic Research Fellowship. The programme supports scholars and professional artists who wish to conduct archival research in Florence and produce original academic or artistic outcomes that engage with the Foundation's history and its contribution to European cultural development.
Title & Description
European Cultural Foundation Historical Archives Fellowship Programme 2026
The European Cultural Foundation Historical Archives Fellowship Programme 2026 invites researchers and professional artists to develop innovative projects using the historical archives of the European Cultural Foundation housed at the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) in Florence, Italy.
The programme supports both academic research and artistic practice that explores the history of the Foundation and examines the role of culture in shaping Europe as a space of cooperation, imagination, democracy, and solidarity. Fellows are expected to work extensively with archival materials while developing projects that connect historical research with contemporary cultural, political, and social questions.
Applicants may choose between two fellowship categories:
- Academic Research Fellowship, offering a €5,000 grant for archival research and scholarly output.
- Artistic Research Fellowship, offering a €10,000 grant to support archival research, artistic production, and public dissemination.
Selected fellows will conduct research at the Historical Archives of the European Union, located at Villa Salviati in Florence. During their residency, participants will become part of the international scholarly community of the European University Institute, benefiting from access to one of Europe's leading archival collections on European integration and cultural cooperation.
Academic fellows are expected to produce research outputs such as peer-reviewed journal articles, scholarly essays, research reports, books, or book chapters. Artistic fellows may develop creative projects including exhibitions, visual artworks, films, documentaries, podcasts, audio productions, performances, installations, multimedia works, literary projects, or other interdisciplinary formats inspired by archival research.
All fellowship projects must be completed and publicly presented or published within two years of signing the grant agreement.
Categories
- Visual Arts
- Research
- Art Writing
- Literature
- Writing
- Performance
- Video / Film
- Audiovisual
- Sound / Music
- Multimedia
- Installation
- Media Arts
- Interdisciplinary Arts
- Curatorial
- Photography
- Documentary Practice
- Podcasting
- Journalism
- Cultural Studies
- History
Eligibility
The Fellowship Programme offers two separate opportunities with distinct eligibility requirements.
Academic Research Fellowship
- PhD researchers.
- Postdoctoral researchers.
- Early-career researchers within ten years of completing a Master's or PhD.
- Independent scholars with an active research profile.
- Researchers working in European Studies, Cultural Studies, History, Humanities, Social Sciences, and related disciplines.
Artistic Research Fellowship
- Visual Arts
- Performing Arts
- Film and Audiovisual Media
- Podcasting
- Audio Storytelling
- Documentary Practice
- Journalism
- Literature
- Interdisciplinary artistic practice
Applicants should demonstrate:
- An established research-based artistic practice.
- Experience relevant to the proposed project.
- A clear dissemination or public engagement strategy.
The fellowship is international and welcomes applicants regardless of nationality. Selection follows principles of equality and non-discrimination without regard to nationality, ethnicity, race, religion, age, disability, gender, or sexual orientation.
Program Benefits & Awards
Selected fellows receive substantial financial and professional support, including:
Academic Research Fellowship
- €5,000 research grant.
- Funding intended to cover:
- Travel.
- Accommodation.
- Living expenses during the research stay.
- Access to the Historical Archives of the European Union.
- Integration into the European University Institute's international research community.
- Research support from HAEU archival staff.
Artistic Research Fellowship
- €10,000 grant.
- Funding covering:
- Research stay.
- Accommodation.
- Travel.
- Living expenses.
- Artistic production costs.
- Access to archival collections.
- Research support throughout the fellowship.
- Opportunity to publicly present artistic outcomes.
Additional benefits include:
- Access to unique archival materials documenting over seventy years of European cultural cooperation.
- Opportunity to develop internationally visible research or creative work.
- Association with one of Europe's leading cultural foundations.
- Networking within an international academic and cultural environment.
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Completed online application form.
- Project proposal.
- Research or artistic methodology.
- Dissemination strategy.
- Supporting documentation demonstrating relevant experience.
- Any additional materials requested through the application system.
All application materials must be submitted in English.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 30 September 2026
Location
Florence, Italy
Additional Details
- Fellows are expected to make substantial use of the European Cultural Foundation archives.
- Most archival materials are available in English, with significant collections in French, German, and Dutch.
- Projects should connect historical archival research with contemporary European cultural questions.
- Academic and artistic fellows are expected to disseminate their work through publications or public presentations.
- Applications are evaluated jointly by the European Cultural Foundation and the Historical Archives of the European Union.
- Evaluation criteria include originality, relevance, engagement with the archives, feasibility, and public dissemination.
- Fellows receive research assistance from HAEU staff during their stay.
- Additional publications and project documentation held by the European Cultural Foundation in Amsterdam are not part of the HAEU archival holdings.