The European Cultural Foundation (ECF) and the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) have launched a new grant programme to support innovative academic and artistic research based on the newly accessible European Cultural Foundation archives in Florence.
Announced during the official opening of the ECF archives at the HAEU in June 2026, the grant programme aims to encourage fresh perspectives on the role of culture in shaping Europe as a space of cooperation, solidarity, and European integration.
Two annual grants
The European Cultural Foundation grant programme offers up to two grants each year:
- An academic research grant, including a grant of €5,000 to support archival research at the HAEU.
- An artistic research grant, including a grant of €10,000 to support archival research and the production of artistic work.
Fellows will conduct research at the HAEU in Florence, benefiting from access to the ECF archives and the international scholarly environment of the European University Institute.
The programme welcomes projects that engage directly with the Foundation's history, networks, programmes, and ideas, while also addressing contemporary questions about culture and Europe. Academic fellows are expected to produce outputs such as scholarly articles, reports, essays, books, or book chapters. Artistic fellows may create films, podcasts, exhibitions, performances, literary works, or other creative projects grounded in archival research.
A new resource for research on Europe
The launch of the grant programme coincides with the public opening of the European Cultural Foundation archives at the HAEU. Deposited in Florence in 2025, the collection documents more than six decades of initiatives that have shaped cultural cooperation and European integration.
The archives provide unique insights into the development of landmark programmes and ideas, including the early years of Erasmus, cultural diplomacy during the Cold War, European cultural cooperation in the context of EU enlargement, and the correspondence of influential thinkers such as Altiero Spinelli, Denis de Rougemont, Robert Schuman, and Hendrik Brugmans.
Researchers will also find extensive documentation on cultural exchange initiatives, European educational cooperation, media development, philanthropy, and debates on Europe's cultural future.
Celebrating the opening of the archives
The fellowship programme was officially launched during a conference held at Villa Salviati on 10 June 2026 to mark the opening of the archives for public consultation.
The event brought together scholars, cultural leaders, and policymakers to explore the relationship between culture and European integration. Discussions focused on the role of culture in shaping European belonging, the challenges facing cultural narratives today, and the continuing importance of cultural cooperation in Europe.
Participants also had the opportunity to view selected archival materials featured in the exhibition Building European Belonging: Inside the Archives of the European Cultural Foundation, offering a first look at documents that illuminate the Foundation's longstanding contribution to European cultural life.
Applications open until 30 September
Applications for the 2026 fellowship call are open until 30 September 2026 at 17:00 CET.
The Academic Research Fellowship is open to PhD and postdoctoral researchers, early-career academics, and independent scholars working in fields such as history, European studies, cultural studies, and related disciplines. The Artistic Research Fellowship is open to professional practitioners in the visual and performing arts, film, audio storytelling, journalism, literature, and other research-based creative fields.
Applications will be assessed jointly by the European Cultural Foundation and the Historical Archives of the European Union on the basis of originality, relevance, engagement with the archives, feasibility, and dissemination potential.
For full details and application information, candidates should consult the fellowship call on the European Cultural Foundation website.