Humanities Cultural Programme Open Call 2022/23

A crowd clapping their raised hands under red and blue lights and a concert
Please note this second round deadline is for invited applications only.

Overview of Humanities Cultural Programme

The Humanities Cultural Programme (HCP) will bring together local, university and global cultural communities in a physical and digital arts centre powered by the University of Oxford’s research. Based in the performance and public spaces in the Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, we will promote broad engagement with the riches of the humanities by working with outstanding artists, writers and thinkers from around the world to create and present world-class arts and culture. Innovative and diverse, our programmes will be delivered in collaboration with university, local, national and international partners.

During 2023 and 2024 in the lead up to the opening of the Schwarzman Centre, we will present a programme which involves the development, creation, public performance/exhibition, dissemination or discussion of professional or community cultural activity of any kind (music, theatre, spoken word, comedy, dance, film, installations, exhibitions, displays, digital work etc.) for public audiences.

The HCP will include both individual projects and also significant strands of work which enable us to deliver increased impact through association.  These strands are likely to include work focused on Environmental Humanities (Autumn 2023), Kafka (April-October 2024) and Medical Humanities (Autumn 2024).

The Open Calls

There are 2 principal schemes through which people can submit proposals to HCP:

  • Visiting Fellowship
  • Projects Fund  

All programmed projects and fellowships receive operational and logistical support in development and delivery from the HCP team. The breakdown of cash spend/in-kind support is determined on a case-by-case basis. The investment in all projects programmed through these schemes is capped at £10,000.

“Incubation Projects” are intended to enable early-stage work with artists or cultural partners. They need not involve public engagement as an initial output but must exhibit the potential for public engagement outcome(s) in future stages to qualify for support.

The investment in Incubation Projects is capped at £10,000.

Further Details:

Visiting Fellowships: Visiting Fellowships should feature a partnership between an Oxford researcher (‘the host’) and a creative practitioner, artist, or performer (‘the fellow’). The fellowship should usually include at least 3 outputs, 1 of which must be designed to engage a public audience. The fellowship is one year long but activities can take place throughout the year or in shorter residencies.

Audience: Proposals should be audience-focused and have a clear strategy to engage diverse public audiences.

Timeframe: Early applications are welcomed for all schemes. Proposals must ordinarily be for delivery at least 6 months in the future and for completion before the end of 2025. We invite applicants to talk to us first if they want to apply over a shorter time frame.

Venues: Activities can take place anywhere, physically or virtually.  The HCP has a particular focus on developing audience relationships in Oxford and Oxfordshire.

Eligible applicants: Applications from internal applicants should be submitted by an individual with an employment contract or studentship that covers the entire timeline of the project. External parties are advised to discuss how to apply in advance by emailing hcp@torch.ox.ac.uk. 

Deadlines: Deadlines are termly. 

Planning requirements: Applicants should consider accessibility, equality, diversity, inclusion and environmental sustainability in the planning of proposals.

Public Engagement: Applicants can propose activity that is part of an already planned research or education programme (such as a DPhil or developing research project). However, to be programmed by HCP, both public engagement and cultural work must sit at the heart of the project – this is likely to necessitate some re-imagining of existing research or education frameworks.

Application Process

Applications are assessed via a two-stage application process.

The first stage is a one-page Expression of Interest (EOI). The purpose of the first round of assessment is to assess the general idea behind a project. EOIs should be emailed to the given address by the relevant deadline and follow the given format. EOIs are assessed by a specialist review panel.

 

First round Expressions of Interest should:

    • propose an original project/fellowship that engages the public through cultural activity;
    • detail fit with the HCP strategy;
    • demonstrate value in relationship to humanities research;
    • demonstrate the quality and originality of the artistic/cultural work; where the proposal includes the work of specific artists/practitioners, supply links to their work. Where projects are developments of existing work, an overview of the existing work or a link to a sample of the work should be included;
    • explain, with evidence, why the applicant believes the public will be interested in the project/fellowship;
    • confirm the status of any partnerships (proposed/under consideration/ agreed);
    • detail the deliverables, timeframe, and outline budget for the project.

EOI applications are assessed by the HCP team and selected advisors.  Applicants will be advised of the outcome of applications by email within 2 weeks of the EOI deadline.

The projects/fellowship that best fit the aims of the HCP as articulated above will be invited to submit a second-stage application. Only selected applicants are able to submit a second stage application.

 

Second Round Applications

The purpose of the second round is to evaluate proposals in more depth, to consider them alongside other applications and in the context of HCP’s broader programme of activity. The HCP team will work with applicants to produce detailed plans for the project/fellowships including logistical and financial planning.

Second stage applications are submitted on IRAMS and assessed by a specialist panel.

In addition to the first-round requirements, second round applications should also demonstrate:

  • the value of public engagement both within and beyond the University, including giving expanded detail and evidence around audience;
  • that projects/fellowships are deliverable, financially sound, and that required additional resources (including partners/partnerships and external funding) are in place or will be secured;
  • clear plans for evaluation.

Applicants are advised of the outcome of applications within 4 weeks of the Second Stage deadline.

 

Deadlines and Application Documents

 

 

Current deadline for all EOIs: 9th March, 5pm

Email completed EOIs to: hcp@humanities.ox.ac.uk and include the name of the fund and the lead applicant name in the subject line of the email.

 

 

Submission format: Selected applicants will receive a link to IRAMS.

 

Future deadlines:

Future deadlines will be announced in due course.

 

For data-sharing/privacy queries, please email: hcp@humanities.ox.ac.uk

 

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