Call for Applications: Research in Cultural Heritage (Denmark)

Deadline: 29-Jan-2027

The Augustinus Foundation is offering up to DKK 50 million through its 2027 funding round to strengthen cultural heritage research environments and interdisciplinary collaboration in Denmark. Eligible applications may come from Danish-based research institutions, universities, and museums, with proposals accepted from 1 September 2026 to 29 January 2027.

About the Cultural Heritage Research Program

The Augustinus Foundation has established an annual grant program to advance high-quality research into Denmark’s cultural heritage. The initiative emphasizes strong research environments and collaboration among: - Universities. - Museums. - Research institutions. - Humanities scholars. - Cultural specialists. - Interdisciplinary research teams. The program seeks to expand Denmark’s humanities knowledge base while improving understanding, preservation, and communication of shared cultural heritage. Funding Information

The 2027 funding round provides:

- Total funding pool: Up to DKK 50 million.

- Application opening date: 1 September 2026.

- Application deadline: 29 January 2027.

- Expected notification period: Second quarter of 2027.

- Geographic focus: Denmark.

- Eligible hosts: Danish-based institutions, universities, and museums.

Applicants should consult the official guidelines for minimum or maximum project requests, eligible expenditure categories, and project-duration requirements. Purpose of the Program

The program aims to:

- Strengthen cultural heritage research in Denmark. - Build sustainable research environments. - Expand the country’s humanities knowledge base. - Encourage interdisciplinary research. - Improve collaboration between universities and museums. - Support high-quality scholarly inquiry. - Develop new knowledge about shared cultural heritage. - Improve the preservation and interpretation of cultural heritage. - Strengthen public communication of research. - Support long-term institutional research capacity. - Connect researchers across disciplines and institutions. What Is Cultural Heritage Research? Cultural heritage research examines the objects, practices, places, languages, traditions, histories, and forms of creative expression that societies inherit and interpret.

It may investigate:

- Historical events. - Material culture. - Archaeological evidence. - Music and performance. - Literature and language. - Visual culture. - Museums and collections. - Cultural memory. - Heritage preservation. - Public understanding of the past. The proposed research should contribute to a clearer or deeper understanding of cultural heritage. Priority Research Areas The Foundation prioritizes knowledge-building in areas connected to its philanthropic strategy.

These include:

- Cultural history in its broadest sense. - Archaeology. - Music. - Performing arts. - Visual arts. - Literature. - Classical languages. - Original Nordic languages. Research in these fields must demonstrate a meaningful connection to cultural heritage. Cultural History Cultural history examines how people, communities, institutions, beliefs, practices, and forms of expression have changed over time.

Potential subjects may include:

- Everyday life. - Cultural identity. - Social movements. - Political culture. - Religious practices. - Migration. - Cultural exchange. - Institutions. - Memory and commemoration. - Material and visual culture. - Historical communities. Projects should show how their findings will strengthen knowledge of cultural heritage. Archaeology Archaeological research may explore material evidence of past societies and environments.

Projects may involve:

- Excavated materials. - Historic landscapes. - Settlement patterns. - Artefacts. - Archaeological collections. - Scientific analysis. - Digital archaeology. - Conservation methods. - Public interpretation. - Connections between archaeological findings and cultural identity. Applicants should address research ethics, permits, collection management, and preservation where relevant. Music Research

Music research may examine:

- Historical musical traditions. - Composers and performers. - Musical archives. - Instruments. - Performance practices. - Music institutions. - Folk and traditional music. - Music’s role in society. - Preservation of recordings. - Digital access to music collections. Projects should explain how the research contributes to the understanding or preservation of musical heritage. Performing Arts Research relating to performing arts may include: - Theatre. - Dance. - Opera. - Performance history. - Production practices. - Performance archives. - Cultural institutions. - Audience development. - Scenography. - Costumes and performance materials. - Documentation and preservation. Interdisciplinary projects may connect performance studies with history, literature, music, visual arts, or digital humanities. Visual Arts

Visual-arts research may focus on:

- Painting. - Sculpture. - Photography. - Craft. - Design. - Architecture. - Art collections. - Exhibition histories. - Artistic movements. - Conservation. - Provenance. - Digital interpretation. Applicants should identify the specific contribution their work will make to cultural heritage knowledge. Literature

Literary research may investigate:

- Authors and literary movements. - Manuscripts and archives. - Publishing history. - Reading cultures. - Translation. - Oral literature. - Literary heritage. - Digital editions. - Cultural memory in literature. - Connections between literature and society. Projects may use historical, linguistic, comparative, archival, or digital methods. Classical and Original Nordic Languages Eligible research may address classical languages and original Nordic languages when the work strengthens knowledge of cultural heritage.

Potential activities may include:

- Textual scholarship. - Historical linguistics. - Manuscript studies. - Critical editions. - Translation. - Language documentation. - Digital language resources. - Study of inscrip