Grants

ARIAS, in collaboration with IXA, advises on grant applications for collaborative research projects within its network, directing attention towards the relevant grant trajectories suitable for particular research projects, to apply for by partners, working groups, coalitions, or artists-researchers. ARIAS platforms the developments in research funding and aims to strengthen funding possibilities. 

Follow us on Twitter for regular updates, or contact us directly for more detailed information. 

On this page
> Funding opportunities for institutions HBO & WO
> Funding opportunities for individual researchers
> Financing doctorate positions

Funding for institutions

Universities (WO) have the possibility to respond to the agenda and calls of NWO | the Dutch Research Council. Academies (HBO) similarly have funding opportunities with SIA | the NWO division Taskforce of Applied Research. Find current calls displayed in the Grant Deadline overview in the right-hand column of this page, mostly towards WO or HBO. Collaborations between these aren’t stipulated, although often possible for larger coalitions. A first joint trajectory between NWO and SIA called Smart Cultures ran between 2017-2019, offering context for hybrid collaborative research projects into the: arts, culture, heritage, and media, in relation to the creative industry. In 2019 ARIAS was successfully involved in three granted Smart Culture research proposals.

NWO – scientific research (WO)
The Dutch Research Council (NWO) ensures quality and innovation in science and facilitates its impact on society. Its main task is to fund scientific research at public research institutions in the Netherlands, especially universities. NWO focuses on all scientific disciplines and fields of research, and selects and funds the best research proposals based on the advice of specialist scientists and relevant experts in the Netherlands and abroad (peer review). The council offers several divisions with specific focusses and grant types for both collaborative, institutional, and individual applications. On this page the most relevant grants for the ARIAS network are highlighted:

National Science Agenda (NWA)
The National Science Agenda (NWA) is a research programme that NWO realizes on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. The overarching aim of this programme is to improve the connection between science and society. The NWA is a large funding body with an expanded programme. Offering large grants, the Agenda demands laborious application processes of large consortia, and in that way the percentage of awarded applications remains low. Ambitious, long-term, and socially innovative projects suitable. Read more.

NWO Kiem
The Creative Industry – KIEM programme encourages and facilitates fundamental and industrial research. Researchers can apply for funding via KIEM on behalf of a consortium of companies and researchers. Read more.

Find an overview of all NWO’s divisions here.
Among these divisions is one programme for applied research in education on HBO level: SIA.

SIA – applied research (HBO)
SIA – Taskforce for Applied Research – is committed to promoting the improvement of applied research, by HBO’s (universities of applied sciences), that focus on finding solutions to problems encountered by professionals in actual practice. Through the active collaboration between entrepreneurs and public sector professionals, the knowledge and findings acquired during the research flows directly back into both the professional practice and into the curriculum of HBO’s. Permanent SIA grant trajectories:

KIEM
In short this scheme supports the development of new collaborations between knowledge institutions and partners from the working field related to the research’ subject. There are three trajectories: KIEM HBO (theme free), KIEM ce (circular economy), and KIEM GoChem (sustainable chemistry).

RAAK
In short this scheme supports research projects from which the gained knowledge is translated structurally into professional practices. The research question is often informed by issues from that practice. There are three trajectories: RAAK mbk, RAAK publiek and RAAK pro.

SPRONG
This scheme offers a large grant for consortia of at least two HBO’s for the development of practice focused knowledge for social transitions. The grant goes into the development of research structures rather than research in itself. Read more.

HBO Postdoc
The HBO two year postdoc programme creates a way for promoted HBO teachers to follow-up on their PhD research, within an existing research programme of the school (50/50 teaching/research). Read more.

Please check SIA’s and NWO’s corona measures for changes in their grant schemes deadlines.

Mondriaan Fonds
Commissioning Contemporary Art
Focused on collaboration between organisations and artists this programme allows the commissioning of artworks. The assigned project can take up to four years and the process can be given the shape of a(n) (artistic) research. (n.b. This is not explicit in the grant description itself but absolutely possible! Organisations apply for the grant. Commercial art venues such as galleries and Art-HBO’s are excluded.) Read more.

Funding for individual researchers

Most of the calls in the grants deadline overview in the right-hand column of this page can only be responded to by institutions. Only a few are (also) suitable for individual researchers (see highlighed in green.) Some Amsterdam art funds offer development stipends for artists (see AFK and Mondriaan Fonds) with the potential to be used for developing artistic parts of research. Otherwise, only the Stimuleringsfonds offers research grants both for individual makers and organisations (design, digital culture, architecture). Other opportunities for individual researchers open up when larger institutional coalitions offer (doctorate) positions as part of a research-project (having already been granted funding). ARIAS helps to negotiate such positions and informs about calls for doctorate positions regularly in this Grants overview and in the newsletter.

Current, relevant grants and scholarships for collaborative project applications for individual researchers within the arts and sciences:

NWA Idea Generator
Researchers together with societal stakeholders (from the entire public knowledge chain) can submit research proposals for small projects with a creative and innovative focus, and potential for societal impact. Applicants of all disciplines and backgrounds welcomed, in all phases of their careers. Practice-oriented, applied, or fundamental research proposals accepted. Individual researchers must show a collaboration with a societal stakeholder. Women are explicitly invited to apply.

The call opens once to twice a year. Keep an eye on our newsletter.
Read more here.

Veni, Vidi, Vici
NWO’s talent programme for individual researchers Veni, Vidi, Vice offers three grants for different stages of development after having obtained a PhD. The funding enables applicants to do their own line of research. Read more on Veni, Vidi, Vici.

Mingler Scholarship
Once a year, the Royal Academy of Arts (KNAW) and The Young Academy, in collaboration with the Niemeijer Fund, make available the Mingler Scholarship for one collaboration between a scientist and an artist. The Scholarship is intended for artists (from all artistic disciplines) and scientists (researchers from the humanities, social and natural sciences) who want to start a research project together. The Scholarship grants € 10,000 (ten thousand euros) only for collaborations between art and science.

The scholarship for 2022 has been awarded (see here), and the next call will be at the start of 2023. Read more here.

CLUE+ Fellowship
Researchers from both scientific and artistic practices can apply for the CLUE+ fellowship. CLUE+ is the interdisciplinary research center of the VU Amsterdam. Contact us for more information closer to date and read the CLUE+ Fellowship Programme guide.

Financing doctorate positions

Internal candidates
Candidates that apply for PhD vacancies at the different research schools get employed by the University upon obtaining the position. The larger framing of the subject of research is in these cases already given and the candidate applies by proposing their approach and vision on that particular project. In such a paid position the researcher works for the University; external candidates are more independent but have to self-fund.

Find current UvA vacancies here.
Find current VU vacancies here.

External candidates
Specifically to the Netherlands most doctorate degrees in the arts are set up as external positions. It means that candidates do not get employed by the respective University and have to self-fund the doctorate. External candidates from abroad are advised to look for eligible grants or scholarships for promotions by funding bodies in their home countries. With a scholarship, getting accepted as an external candidate might be to your advantage. In Amsterdam, after acceptance of the researcher’s proposal by a supervisor and research school at UvA or VU, one can be subscribed as an external candidate. It usually means (however it depends per research school) an exemption from tuition fees, access to a workstation, access to libraries and access to the programs of the research schools. External positions offer candidates full freedom in the proposed subject of research without teaching obligations.

For more information:
UvA’s School for Cultural Analysis on externally funded candidates.
VU’s School for Humanities on their funding options.

As research (especially artistic research) gains more momentum, funding options might open up in the future. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated. For international possibilities check the grant agenda and subscribe to SARA, the newsletter of the Research Catalogue.

Disclaimer:

ARIAS keeps this content up to date, nonetheless the information provided is subject to change.