Focal awards: art history, visual arts and creative practice
Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) · United Kingdom
Funding to recruit and train doctoral students through a consortium based doctoral focal award in art history, visual arts and creative practice. The programme aims to develop advanced research skills and support innovation capacity within the UK cultural and creative sectors.
Summary
Deadline
17 Mar 2026
Complexity
Medium
Time to apply
20-60 hours
Updated
9 Jun 2026
Funding to recruit and train doctoral students through a consortium based doctoral focal award in art history, visual arts and creative practice. The programme aims to develop advanced research skills and support innovation capacity within the UK cultural and creative sectors.
Eligibility
Applicant types
Research
Business size
Research organisation
Industries
Cultural and creative sectors including museums, galleries, heritage organisations and creative industries.
Match funding
Required
Requirements
UK higher education institutions eligible for UKRI doctoral funding that can demonstrate the capacity to host a consortium based doctoral training grant in art history and creative practice. The lead applicant must be a UK higher education institution eligible for UKRI doctoral funding and capable of leading a consortium delivering doctoral training. Programmes must support doctoral research an...
Eligible applicants
UK higher education institutions eligible for UKRI doctoral funding that can demonstrate the capacity to host a consortium based doctoral training grant in art history and creative practice.
Funding and scope
Benefit amount
Funding supports between 25 and 30 doctoral studentships per award across three cohorts
Total fund available
Not specified in document
Funding intensity
Funding provided at UKRI indicative fee levels and minimum stipend rates for up to four years per student.
Payment type
Grant (typically 80% FEC in arrears)
Eligible scope
Programmes must support doctoral research and training in art history, visual arts and creative practice, including interdisciplinary and practice led approaches connected to cultural and creative sectors.
Eligible expenses
- Doctoral stipends, tuition fees, training and development activities for students, cohort development activities and collaborative doctoral awards funding.
Ineligible costs
- Costs not eligible under AHRC Focal awards funding opportunity terms.
Application and risks
Application platform
UKRI Funding Service
Competitiveness
Closed / Not accepting applications
Decision timeline
Assessment expected to be completed within approximately four months of the application deadline.
Assessment process
Applications are assessed by a panel of experts reviewing proposals against the specified assessment criteria and ranking them before funding recommendations are made.
Application sections
- Summary, core team, discipline classification, vision, approach, positive culture and environment, capability to deliver, partnerships and governance, use of resources and organisational support.
Application components
Not specified
Decision risks
Applications may be rejected if they do not meet eligibility requirements or do not follow the application guidance.
Timeline and partners
Opening date
9 Dec 2025
Project duration
Minimum of six academic years
Project start
Not specified
Project end
Not specified
Co-funders
Not specified
Collaboration rules
- Applications must involve a consortium including at least one additional higher education institution and at least one partner organisation beyond academia.
- International partners may participate as project partners, including organisations based overseas.
Consortium requirements
- A minimum of two higher education institutions and at least one non academic partner must form the consortium delivering the doctoral training programme.
Additional guidance
[{"label":"Research Category","value":"Doctoral research and training in arts and humanities."},{"label":"Subcontractors","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Interview Stage","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Key Requirements","value":"The consortium must demonstrate the ability to deliver innovative doctoral training, support student development and engage partners across academia and the cultural and creative sectors."},{"label":"Renewal Rules","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Important Notes","value":"Each higher education institution may submit only one application as the lead organisation but may participate in multiple applications as a consortium member."}]
Quick facts
- Status
- Closed
- Deadline
- 17 Mar 2026
- Funding amount
- Funding supports between 25 and 30 doctoral studentships per award across three cohorts
- Funding band
- Micro (<£50k)
- Funding type
- Doctoral training grant
- Payment type
- Grant (typically 80% FEC in arrears)
- Audience
- Research Innovation
- Industry
- Cultural and creative sectors including museums, galleries, heritage organisations and creative industries.
- Last updated
- 9 Jun 2026
- Published
- 8 Dec 2025