Our fellowship program in cooperation with the documenta archiv makes it possible to investigate diverse art-historical, contemporary, interdisciplinary and international references to the documenta exhibition and to gain new insights into art production and the networks that have emerged. It aims to contribute to adding new perspectives to the Western European and North American art historical canon.
Who we support
young international academics, researching artists and curators. Applications from people whose place of work or residence is in Germany or German-speaking countries cannot be considered.
What we promote
We support a six-month research stay at the documenta in Kassel with a scholarship of 2,000 euros per month and help you with visa applications, finding accommodation, dealing with the authorities and researching the documenta archiv. The two scholarships run from May 2026 to October 2026.
Award criteria
- Excellent knowledge of modern and contemporary art, strong interest in the research areas mentioned in the call for applications
- Experience with archive research; proven achievements in projects already realized in the field of scientific, artistic or curatorial research
- Compulsory residence in Kassel
- Proven knowledge of the German language, ideally at level C1
Required documents
The application in German (in justified exceptional cases in English) is made via the application portal of the Goethe-Institut. The following information is requested there:
- 1 Short biography
- 1 short project summary
and as a coherent pdf document:
- 1 detailed abstract of the planned research project including time schedule and proposal for the presentation of results (max. 3600 characters)
- 1 two-page CV (incl. proof of German and other language skills)
- 2 letters of reference
Applications can be submitted digitally via the Goethe-Institut application portal and will be possible from January 8, 2026. You will find the link to the portal on this website from this date.
Application deadline: February 8, 2026