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UK Curators in Venice 2026 with Art Fund and the Association for Art History

Together with the Association for Art History, Art Fund is delighted to offer up to 8 fully funded places for UK museum and gallery curators who are at an early-to-mid-stage in their career to attend a four-day professional development programme focused on the Venice Art Biennale in September 2026.

Apply by 12 July 2026

Working in partnership with the Association for Art History, this programme will bring together a group of early-to-mid-career curators to participate in a carefully designed schedule of visits, tours, behind-the-scenes access and networking opportunities.

The programme will help early-to-mid-career curators navigate the Biennale as part of a small peer network, allowing them to gain international insight, build sector-wide connections and deepen their curatorial practice, at a key moment in their professional development.

The programme will be hosted by Art Fund and the Association for Art History and will include:

The UK Curators in Venice 2026 with Art Fund and the Association for Art History takes place in Venice from Tuesday 15 - Friday 18 September.

What we can fund

Up to 8 bursary places are available for UK museum and gallery professionals. Travel, 3 nights’ accommodation and meals will be covered. If your application is successful, Art Fund and the Association for Art History will offer a grant to your organisation to cover your travel and a per diem for local transport while in Venice. We will cover accommodation costs. Curators will be responsible for booking their own travel. We cannot fund applications from independent curators.

Who can apply

Applications are open to curators who are at an early-to-mid in their career from UK museums and galleries and historic houses.

Through the programme we’re aiming to bring together a cohort of curators who often do not have the opportunity or travel budgets that allow for easy exchange with their national and international counterparts. The opportunity is open to early-to-mid career curators, with priority given to early-career applicants.

Key deadlines

Applications should be submitted by midnight on Sunday 12 July 2026.

How to apply

Your application

Submit your application

Please ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria and review the full terms before submitting your application. To submit your application, please complete the application form (Word) and email to Robert Dingle (rdingle@artfund.org).

Application form

Submit your EDI form

We are committed to representation from diverse backgrounds and experiences across the UK, valuing difference and diversity within the museum sector. We encourage applications from all races, ages, religions and sexual orientations, as well as parents, veterans, people living with any kind of disabilities and any other minority groups.

Please fill out our equality, diversity and inclusion form as part of your application. This monitoring form is voluntary but the information we collect here helps us ensure that we are inclusive. Please be assured that this information is confidential and will only ever be processed or analysed on an anonymous basis.

Fill out the form

After you've applied

Acknowledgement of application

We aim to notify all applicants of the outcome within four weeks of the deadline.

Claim your grant

If your application is successful, we will be in touch to confirm your accommodation details and to reimburse your travel expenses.

© Art Fund 2026. “Art Fund” is the operating name of the National Art Collections Fund, a charity registered in England and Wales (209174) and Scotland (SC038331)