A lesser-known part of the European Cultural Foundation (ECF)’s history is the contribution to the development and implementation of the ERASMUS programme.
In 2027, ERASMUS celebrates its 40th anniversary. To mark this occasion, the ECF offers a Creative Research Fellowship with a grant of 10,000 EUR, inviting a professional creative practitioner to explore its historical archives, held at the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) in Florence, and rediscover the importance of the ERASMUS chapter in the making of Europe.
The resulting work will be presented at the House of European History in Brussels in September 2027, subject to confirmation.
The fellowship is not intended simply to illustrate or retell the history of the ERASMUS programme. Rather, the ECF are interested in proposals that reflect on what its history reveals about the Europe that has been built over the past forty years—and the Europe that might come next.
The fellowship is research-led but not limited to a particular medium or discipline. ECF are looking for projects that translate archival research into a public-facing outcome that can be experienced, presented or encountered in a cultural setting.
Applicants must reside in a Council of Europe member state.
The fellow will undertake a research stay at the Historical Archives of the European Union in Florence, where the ECF collection is held. The research stay is expected to take place in the first trimester of 2027, allowing sufficient time for the resulting work to be developed, produced and completed by 31 July 2027.
The ECF Creative Research Fellowship provides a grant of 10,000 EUR, intended to support:
- travel to and from Florence
- accommodation and living expenses
- artistic production and development
