Objectives:
- Fund fundamental, early-stage, ambitious, and novel research in arts and humanities.
- Support idea generation, networking, partnership building, knowledge exchange, and public engagement.
- Enable development of new research agendas and further research opportunities.
- Encourage interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary projects.
- Support practice-based and practice-led research.
- Promote international collaboration and equitable partnerships.
- Facilitate high-risk, high-potential concepts and pivots in research focus.
- Provide mentoring opportunities within research teams.
Target Beneficiaries:
- Researchers across all career stages, from early career to established.
- Project leads and co-leads employed by eligible UK organisations.
- Individuals with appropriate skills to lead projects, not necessarily holding academic posts or PhDs.
- Archivists, curators, librarians, technicians, practitioners, and international co-leads.
- Teams, networks, and solo researchers within the arts and humanities remit.
Application Process:
- Applications submitted via the UKRI Funding Service (not Je-S system).
- Project lead completes application; team members contribute.
- Organisation must be registered on the Funding Service.
- Application includes sections on vision, approach, team capability, ethics, resources, and project partners.
- Assessment by expert panel without written peer review.
- Criteria: vision, approach, capability, ethics, resource justification.
- Outcomes aimed within six months; no written individual feedback.
- Use of generative AI in applications permitted with caution; not allowed in assessment.
Key Features:
- Flexible awards up to £100,000 full economic cost (FEC); AHRC funds 80%.
- Projects can last up to five years.
- International co-leads funded at 100% FEC up to 30% of total FEC, with exceptions for certain countries.
- No matched institutional funding required beyond standard 20% FEC.
- Supports a wide range of activities including scoping, piloting, mentoring, and public engagement.
- Committed to equality, diversity, inclusion, and support for flexible working.
- Encourages adherence to Concordat to Support Career Development of Researchers and Technician Commitment.
- Emphasizes trusted research and innovation principles for international collaboration.
- No funding for project studentships (PhD study).
- Application must be self-contained; references preferred with persistent identifiers.
This funding opportunity is designed to stimulate innovative research ideas and collaborations that can lead to significant advances in arts and humanities research and its societal impact.
