What is RSC IF?
IF is an annual, year-long fellowship centred on historically underrepresented voices for artists, researchers and cultural workers responding to the cultural change needs of the performing arts sector and beyond. For more context about the larger thought-leadership institute feasibility study funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), see our About page.
The Fellows’ cohort will come together in Stratford-upon-Avon in July 2025 for the previous year’s Fellows‘ cohort’s Festival of Ideas, and to have their own fellowship kickoff convening.
Click each of the headings below to learn more.
Practice/research themes
Hosted in collaboration with 7 research and cultural organisations, research themes for 2024-2025 include:
- Sustainable planet, climate futures
- Sustainable creative sector work
- Innovation in creative practice
- Intersectional possibilities
- Art and health
Collaborating institutions with Fellows in residence
Geared towards sustainable field-building, and historically underrepresented voices, the fellowship forges a consortium of cultural and research leaders committed to the community in order to support one another, develop common questions, and share best practices and new data. These organisations also host Fellows in residency for about 18 days in the year. Current collaborators include:
- Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM, Brooklyn, NY, USA)
- The Music Center (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
- Watershed (Bristol, UK)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)’s Open Documentary Lab and Co-Creation Studio (Cambridge, MA, USA)
- Stanford Arts (Stanford, CA, USA)
- University of Oxford’s The Oxford Research Center for the Humanities (TORCH, Oxford, UK)
What happens during the fellowship year?
Funded by a £7500 bursary, each Fellow will focus on a research theme in a method based in their own practice, responding to the biggest challenges faced by the creative industries and wider society, and the change needed for the development and survival of the sector and future economic growth.
The year begins with an expenses-paid kickoff convening in RSC’s home, Stratford-upon-Avon in England, UK in July. Previous Fellows will share their learnings and meet new Fellows before they meet with their own cohort. At the end of the Fellowship year in July, Fellows return for an expenses-paid closing Festival of Ideas to share their learnings and welcome the next cohort.
In addition to a rich and generous community of Fellows and organisations, residence time at collaborating institutions, and bespoke practice/research support (including modest travel and finishing funds), the Fellows will have access to state-of-the-art equipment through a further AHRC grant to upgrade facilities for creative and cultural research (CResCa).
Am I a suitable candidate?
You should be:
- A mid- or lifelong-career artist, researcher, or cultural worker who identifies with or belongs to a historically underrepresented population in your field. (This is a bit subjective due to the range of practices, but you should have at least 5 years post-educational experience or 2 major creative projects completed.)
- Located anywhere in the world
- With a current practice and curiosity to explore something in your mode of making related to the IF research themes
- Available to commit about 30 funded days in a year to your practice, including around 12 days in-person convening, time in residence based on your and organisational schedules, and 90-minute monthly meetings online (generally morning US PST / late afternoon GMT-based on selected participants).
- Not a current employee, student, or faculty of your hosting organisation
- Someone who could benefit from and enrich a community of people exploring the potential of cultural, social, and creative practice
What does the application process entail?
Click below for more detail.
mid-October 2024: Application opens
An online, written application collects: contact information and biography, samples/links to past work, samples/links to current work as applicable, a personal statement about your influences and catalysts, and a statement of purpose about your goals for the year. You will be able to create an account and until your final submission before the deadline, save your progress and return to complete the application at another time.
end of November 2024: Application closes for review
Several rounds of external, internal, and collaborator reviews begin to assess applications and most importantly, build a well-rounded cohort community centred on historically underrepresented voices.
mid-January 2025: round 2 notifications and interviews
Applicants will be notified if they will move on to the second round of review. Those candidates continuing on the next round will have an opportunity to schedule interview slots at the end of January, and given time to answer any clarifying questions.
beginning of February 2025: final cohort selected and notified
Candidates will be notified of final cohort decisions. Those selected will receive a fellows’ agreement and information on booking travel for the convening in July 2025.
May 2025: online kickoff
Selected 2025-2026 fellows will have an online kickoff (generally morning US Pacific time, end of day UK time) to meet one another and prepare for the convening.
July 2025: Festival of Ideas and 25-26 cohort convening
The 2025-2026 cohort will come together in Stratford-upon-Avon in July 2025 for the 2024-2025 cohort’s Festival of Ideas, and to have their own fellowship convening inaugurating their fellowship year.
Questions?
If you have specific accessibility needs or other questions and concerns, please email us at: if@rsc.org.uk .