Louvre Abu Dhabi has launched the second call for proposals for its flagship Fellowships and Grants Programme, a global initiative supporting original research in art history, museum studies and heritage science. Building on the success of the inaugural 2025 edition, the 2026 cohort will continue to champion international scholarship inspired by the museum’s commitment to advancing research and knowledge production.
Designed to encourage new perspectives and cross-cultural exchange, the programme invites scholars from around the world to engage deeply with the museum’s collection and resources. It aims to foster collaboration across disciplines and expand scholarship on global artistic connections and shared visual histories.
Applications are welcomed until 7 February 2026. Submissions will be carefully reviewed by a committee of distinguished museum experts, and successful fellows will be announced in May 2026.
Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, said “Louvre Abu Dhabi was built on the belief that art is a universal language. This programme builds on that idea by encouraging research that rethinks how we tell the global story of art. Based on our innovation approach, we invite scholars to question old narratives, explore shared histories, and uncover the human connections behind creativity.”
The 2026 programme will explore three core themes: Global History of Museums and Collections, examining how museums and collecting practices have developed across different cultural and historical contexts. This theme explores curatorial practices, audience engagement and exhibition practices in the Arab world and beyond. It also looks at how ideas such as the universal museum are defined and debated, tracing the connected histories of collections and their movement across continents.
The second theme will be Circulation of Styles, Images and Texts, investigating how objects, artistic languages and visual practices have travelled through trade, migration, translation and cross-cultural encounters. This theme examines processes of adaptation and transformation, questions hierarchical narratives in art history, and explores transnational artistic routes, cultural transfers and the development of multiple modernities.
The final theme will be Precious Materials and Routes of Exchange, studying how materials, craftsmanship and value systems have been transformed by networks of exchange, from the Silk Roads to maritime trade routes, highlighting art’s materiality and circulation.
Successful fellows will be granted access to Louvre Abu Dhabi’s world-class research infrastructure, including the Resource Centre and the Scientific Laboratory, the first of its kind in the Gulf region. These facilities provide the tools and expertise for cutting-edge research in materials analysis, conservation science and art history.
Throughout their research at the museum, fellows will also participate in symposiums and workshops, creating a vibrant community of exchange between scholars, curators and cultural practitioners.
Dr Guilhem André, Director of Scientific, Curatorial and Collections Management at Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: “We look forward to welcoming new scholars whose work challenges assumptions and broadens the dialogue around art, heritage and museum practice. This programme is more than a research initiative, it is a space where ideas, cultures, and generations meet deepening our global understanding of art’s ongoing dialogue across time.”
The programme offers short-term (three months) and long-term (nine months) fellowships to support both local and international scholars in pursuing independent research projects. Proposals must be submitted online through the museum’s website and must be in English.
