Visiting fellowship programme: futures in artistic research

Call for transformative artist-researchers

We invite applications from artistic researchers of all backgrounds who bring vision, intellectual curiosity and creative capacity to shape the discourse of artistic research in music for the next decades. 
This fellowship is not designed for the pursuit of individual projects in isolation. Rather, it seeks to identify and nurture those rare researchers whose work has the potential to transcend current boundaries and open new territories of inquiry that will benefit the entire field.

We seek researchers who

• Possess a compelling vision for how the practice and understanding of music might evolve beyond current paradigms
• Demonstrate imaginative thinking and methodological innovation
• Can articulate research questions that anticipate future developments and challenge established frameworks rather than responding to existing discourses
• Can draw connections between artistic research and broader cultural, ecological, or social questions
• Are motivated by the ambition to advance the field of artistic research, using their own expertise as a foundation for broader impact

What we seek in your application

While academic and artistic experience are valued, we recognize that excellence takes many forms. We are especially interested in evidence of:

• Foresight: Your ability to identify emergent questions and approaches
• Intellectual Restlessness: Innovation driven by a productive dissatisfaction with current paradigms
• Integrative Thinking: A practice which inherently exhibits intellectual and artistic perspectives in ways that generate new knowledge
• Field-Building Orientation: A contribution to the broader advancement of artistic research, not solely pursuing individual interests
• Collaborative Creativity: Innovative collaborative practices and research

Fellowship framework

Selected researchers will join Orpheus Instituut for 3-10 months in the period between September and June, during which they will:

• Develop their vision within our collaborative research environment
• Engage with existing research clusters while challenging and extending their parameters
• Work with senior fellows committed to nurturing the future of artistic research
• Present evolving work through various platforms, contributing to Orpheus Instituut’s intellectual and artistic ecosystem
• Help articulate new methodological approaches and research questions that will guide future directions in artistic research
• Produce a concrete output: this may take the format of an artistic initiative embodying the research focus of the fellowship, in addition to a grant application or a white paper on a new area of artistic research, or on the future of your own field of expertise

Requirements

• A PhD in artistic research in music or in a related field
• Demonstrated excellence in both artistic practice and scholarly work
• International experience and perspective
• Willingness to reside in Ghent and participate actively in the institutional community

We offer

• A fully funded 3-10 month fellowship with a gross salary of 3.200€ per month and living costs of 600€ per month
  • Successful applicants with a salaried position (for example, those on sabbatical from their institutions) will be offered a living costs component of 1.000€
  • Employment conditions for non-EU residents will be negotiated individually on the basis of applicable visa regulations
• An intellectually stimulating environment designed to nurture innovative thinking
• Resources to develop your research vision under optimal conditions
• Connection to our international network of leading artistic researchers

Application process

Please submit:

• A comprehensive CV (max. 3 pages) highlighting both artistic and scholarly achievements
• A vision statement (max. 3 pages) articulating:
  • Your specific focus during the fellowship period
  • How your work contributes to expanding the horizons of artistic research in music
  • How this aligns with Orpheus Instituut’s mission to transform musical understanding and practice
• Audio/visual documentation of your artistic practice
• A copy of a published article or book chapter

Selection criteria

Our review process is guided by openness, care and curiosity. Applications will be read with attention to individual potential, approach, and intention—not just credentials or achievements. We recognise varied forms of expertise, research and practice, and career trajectories.

Applications will initially be evaluated based on:

• The originality and potential impact of the proposed research direction
• Evidence of the candidate’s capacity to articulate and pursue questions that will be central to artistic research in the coming decade
• The alignment between the candidate’s vision and Orpheus Instituut’s mission to advance the field as a whole
• The candidate’s demonstrated ability to work at the intersection of artistic practice and theoretical inquiry

Selected candidates will subsequently be invited to a second stage interview.

For questions regarding this call, please contact:
Jonathan Impett, Director of Research
jonathan.impett@orpheusinstituut.be

If you are unsure of whether your background fits the profile, we encourage you to apply and indicate how your experience aligns with the goals of the fellowship.

Orpheus Instituut is committed to diversity and welcomes applications from researchers of all backgrounds whose work demonstrates exceptional promise for advancing artistic research in music.