AHRC Curiosity Award: applicant-led mode
AHRC Curiosity Award: applicant-led mode supports teams, networks and solo researchers with early-stage arts and humanities research, networking and idea development to open new research agendas.
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Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates: Rolling (no closing date) | September 23, 2026, 9:00am UK time (opened)
Funding Amounts: Up to £100,000 full economic cost; AHRC normally funds 80%; projects up to five years
Summary: Supports early-stage, novel arts and humanities research, networking and idea generation that opens new research agendas.
Key Information: The project lead must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding.
Description
The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), offers flexible Curiosity Awards for early-stage, ambitious and novel fundamental research. Awards support teams, networks and solo researchers developing ideas that can become a springboard for further research. Projects may be single-disciplinary, interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary or transdisciplinary, including practice-based and practice-led research.
Supported activities include seed corn research, high-risk and high-potential concepts, scoping, piloting, early-stage proof of concept and changes in research direction at any career stage. Networking, partnership building, knowledge exchange, public engagement, international collaboration and mentoring are also supported. Collaborative applications should explain how equitable partnerships will work; established partnerships should demonstrate how the award brings novelty to their collaboration.
