For international curators, researchers, and cultural practitioners seeking a career-defining opportunity inside one of the world’s most influential art institutions, this is a call worth immediate attention. The Brooks International Fellowship Programme 2026, hosted by Tate Modern in partnership with Delfina Foundation, has officially opened applications.
Now entering its twelfth (12th) successful year, the programme invites outstanding practitioners based outside the UK to spend six immersive months in London, conducting cutting-edge research that reshapes how global modernist art histories are understood today.
What This Fellowship Offers?
Backed by the Rory and Elizabeth Brooks Foundation, this fellowship removes financial barriers and allows fellows to focus entirely on intellectual and curatorial work within Tate’s Curatorial Division.
Selected fellows will receive:
- A fully funded six-month fellowship hosted at Tate Modern
- Residency support at Delfina Foundation, offering a rich interdisciplinary research environment
- Direct access to Tate’s international collection, archives, and curatorial teams
- A platform to contribute to critical reassessments of modernist art histories
- Professional visibility within one of the world’s most prestigious contemporary art ecosystems.
Fellowship Focus Areas for 2026: 2 Distinct Research Pathways
The Brooks International Fellowship 2026 will support two international fellows, each aligned with a dedicated research theme within the Tate Modern Curatorial Division.
1# Gender and Queer Ecologies
This fellowship pathway invites research into artworks that interrogate gender, queerness, and ecological thinking. The fellow will explore works that have historically been overlooked or underrepresented, beginning with pieces featured in Tate Modern’s Monsieur Vénus display and expanding toward broader interpretations of the body, identity, and resistance to traditional hierarchies.
2# Ecology of Migrating Identities
The second fellowship focuses on trans culturalism and migration, revisiting and reframing concepts such as the “émigré artist.” Research will build upon works shown in recent Tate exhibitions and major international shows, expanding to include artistic narratives that capture displacement, mobility, and the lived experience of migration across cultures and generations.
Both fellowships run from 22 June to 6 December 2026.
Who Can Apply?
This programme is designed for practitioners ready to contribute original perspectives to international curatorial research.
Applicants must:
- Be based outside the United Kingdom at the time of application
- Work as an artist, curator, researcher, or cultural practitioner
- Demonstrate a strong interest in modern and contemporary art histories
- Show clear alignment with one of the two 2026 fellowship themes
- Be capable of conducting independent, critical research within an institutional setting.
How to Apply?
Interested applicants must submit a complete application through the official fellowship call https://www.delfinafoundation.com/open-calls/current/open-call-for-brooks-international-fellowship-programme-2025/, outlining their proposed research focus and relevance to the selected theme. Shortlisted candidates will be evaluated on research originality, curatorial insight, and alignment with Tate Modern’s international collections. Early preparation is strongly advised due to the programme’s competitive nature and global reach.
Application Deadline
The application window for the Brooks International Fellowship Programme 2026, offered by Delfina Foundation in partnership with Tate Modern, closes on Thursday, 8 January 2026, at 5:00 pm (17:00) GMT.