As the new year approaches, creative professionals across Europe have exciting opportunities to explore. From architecture and literature to curatorial research and academic fellowships, these calls offer the chance for artistic expression, professional growth, and cultural exchange. Whether you’re an architect, writer, curator, or researcher, there’s something here for you. Here’s this months' Creatives Unite selection of open calls to kick off 2025.
1. Buildner | The Last Nuclear Bomb Memorial Architecture Competition
Sector: Architecture, Memorial Design, Social Impact
Deadline: January 16, 2025
Brief description:
An architectural ideas competition by Buildner challenging participants to design a memorial at a decommissioned nuclear weapon testing site, focusing on communicating the nuclear threat through purely visual architectural language.
Why we love it:
The competition transforms architectural design into a powerful statement against nuclear weapons, requiring participants to communicate complex historical and ethical messages through visual design alone.
Support provided:
- Total prize fund: €10,000
1st Place: €5,000
2nd Place: €3,000
3rd Place: €1,000
- Publicity campaign for winners
Read more and apply here.
2. Rijksmuseum | Fellowship Programme
Sector: Art History, Cultural Research, Conservation
Deadline: January 5, 2025
Brief description:
Rijksmuseum offers six fellowships supporting academic research across art history, cultural heritage, and conservation, providing researchers access to museum collections and expertise.
Why we love it:
The program bridges academic research and museum resources, offering unique opportunities for emerging scholars to work with world-class collections.
Support provided:
- Mellon Fellowship: €39,000-€45,000 stipend
- Dr. Anton C. R. Dreesmann Fellowship: €39,000 stipend
- Johan Huizinga Fellowship: €39,000-€45,000 stipend
- Migelien Gerritzen Fellowship: €39,000-€45,000 stipend
- Travel expenses for research
- Access to museum collections, library, and laboratories
Who can apply:
- PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers
- Researchers from 27 European countries
- Specific eligibility for each fellowship varies
- Focus areas: art history, cultural history, conservation
Read more and apply here.
3. EBRD | Literature Prize 2025
Sector: Literature, Translation, Cultural Exchange
Deadline: December 6, 2024
Brief description:
EBRD Literature Prize celebrates fiction from countries where the Bank invests, focusing on works translated into English by European or North American publishers.
Why we love it:
The prize promotes literary diversity, supporting authors and translators from regions with rich but often overlooked literary traditions.
Support provided:
- First Prize: €20,000 (split between author and translator)
- Two Finalist Prizes: €4,000 each (split between author and translator)
- Awards ceremony in London on June 24, 2025
Who can apply:
Authors from EBRD investment countries
Books originally written in official or minority languages
Works published in English between November 15, 2023, and November 14, 2024
Submitted by European or North American publishers
Read more and apply here.
4. Goethe-Institut | Travel Grants for Curatorial Research
Sector: Contemporary Art, Curatorial Research
Deadline: January 15, 2025
Brief description:
Goethe-Institut provides curators based in Germany an opportunity to explore international contemporary art and deepen their professional networks through research-oriented travel grants.
Why we love it:
The program supports targeted professional development, enabling curators to connect with international art scenes and develop future exhibition concepts.
Support provided:
Maximum grant: €5,000 per research trip
Covers travel expenses and accommodation
Does not cover material costs or professional fees
Who can apply:
- Curators based in Germany
- Professionals planning research leading to an exhibition in Germany
- Those seeking to network with international art scenes
Read more and apply here.
