AHRC Responsive Mode: Curiosity Award
Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) · United Kingdom
Flexible grants designed to support early-stage, ambitious and novel fundamental research in the arts and humanities that can generate new research agendas, collaborations, and future research opportunities. AHRC responsive mode – Curiosity Award.
Summary
Deadline
Rolling
Updated
16 Oct 2026
Flexible grants designed to support early-stage, ambitious and novel fundamental research in the arts and humanities that can generate new research agendas, collaborations, and future research opportunities. AHRC responsive mode – Curiosity Award.
Eligibility
Applicant types
See eligibility requirements
Industries
Arts and humanities disciplines within AHRC remit.
Match funding
No matched funding required beyond the standard 20% FEC contribution from the host institution.
Eligible applicants
Researchers at any career stage based at an eligible UK research organisation. Applicants may include academics as well as archivists, curators, librarians, technicians, and practitioners with appropriate expertise.
Funding and scope
Benefit amount
Up to £100,000 full economic cost (FEC)
Total fund available
Not specified
Funding intensity
AHRC funds 80% of the full economic cost (FEC).
Payment type
Not specified
Eligible scope
Projects that develop novel research ideas, explore high-risk/high-potential concepts, build partnerships, conduct networking or knowledge exchange, or test early-stage proof-of-concept research.
Eligible expenses
- Project staff costs, travel and collaboration costs, networking and engagement activities, and other resources needed to deliver the project objectives.
Ineligible costs
Not specified
Application and risks
Application platform
UKRI Funding Service
Competitiveness
Not specified
Decision timeline
AHRC aims to issue outcomes within approximately six months of receiving the application.
Assessment process
Applications are assessed by an expert panel against key criteria such as vision, approach, team capability, ethics and RRI, and resource justification.
Application sections
- Summary, discipline classification, vision, approach, applicant and team capability to deliver, project partners, ethics and responsible research and innovation, resources and cost justification.
Application components
Not specified
Decision risks
Applications that do not follow AHRC guidance, fall outside the remit, or do not meet eligibility requirements may be rejected.
Timeline and partners
Opening date
31 Jan 2025
Project duration
Up to 5 years
Project start
Not specified
Project end
Not specified
Co-funders
Not specified
Collaboration rules
- Collaboration is permitted and encouraged, including interdisciplinary teams and partnerships with academia, industry, government, or the third sector.
Consortium requirements
- Not required; projects may involve interdisciplinary researchers, teams, networks, or solo researchers.
Additional guidance
Document research last revised 2026-08-11.
International Collaboration Requirement
International project co-leads and collaborators are allowed, subject to UKRI eligibility rules.
Research Category
Early-stage fundamental research, exploratory research, idea generation, networking and pilot activities.
Research Organisation Funding
Funding is awarded to the host research organisation under the full economic cost model.
Subcontractors
Not specified
Interview Stage
Not specified
Key Requirements
Projects must demonstrate ambitious and novel research within the arts and humanities remit and show potential to generate new research directions or collaborations.
Important Notes
The funding opportunity is continuously open and applications can be submitted at any time. Projects can be single-discipline, interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, or transdisciplinary.
Application deadline in source document
Open, no fixed closing date
Official source
Quick facts
- Status
- Open
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Funding amount
- Up to £100,000 full economic cost (FEC)
- Funding band
- Not specified
- Funding type
- Grant
- Payment type
- Not specified
- Audience
- See eligibility requirements
- Industry
- Arts and humanities disciplines within AHRC remit.
- Last updated
- 16 Oct 2026
- Published
- 31 Jan 2025