University of the Arts London Storytelling Research Fellowship 2026/27
If you are an experienced researcher interested in film, television, music, podcasts, games, social media or other forms of popular culture, the Storytelling Research Fellowship 2026/27 at the University of the Arts London (UAL) offers an opportunity to study how storytelling can influence public attitudes, social norms and behaviour.
The UAL AKO Storytelling Institute, in partnership with Comic Relief’s Power of Pop Fund, is recruiting six researchers for a nine-month fellowship beginning in November 2026. Fellows will work approximately two days per week and receive £19,425 for the nine-month contract, before applicable UK deductions.
However, this is not a conventional creative fellowship. The programme is designed for researchers studying the social impact of popular culture, rather than applicants seeking funding to create a film, podcast, artwork or other creative production.
Storytelling Research Fellowship 2026/27 at UAL
The fellowship focuses on a central question: How and when can popular culture influence attitudes, social norms and behaviour around climate and social-justice issues?
For the 2026/27 cohort, proposed research can explore topics such as:
- Climate justice and public mobilisation
- Young men’s identity and wellbeing
- Poverty and economic justice
- Migration, race, belonging and national identity
- Populism, democracy and people power
- One fellowship focused on masculinities will specifically use an ethnographic research approach.
A particularly important requirement is that the research should examine British viewing audiences. Applicants therefore need to demonstrate how their research will investigate audiences in Britain, even if the popular-culture material itself comes from a wider international context.
Degree Level
- Fellowship
Available Subjects
- Story Telling
Benefits
What Does the Fellowship Provide?
Successful fellows receive a nine-month UAL employment contract at 0.4 FTE, equivalent to approximately two days of work per week.
The salary is based on a full-time annual reference salary of £48,563, resulting in approximately £19,425 for the nine-month fellowship, before PAYE and National Insurance deductions.
In addition to the salary, fellows can benefit from:
- Mentorship
- Research guidance
- Workshops
- Collaboration with other fellows
- Engagement with the UAL AKO Storytelling Institute
- Opportunities to connect research with creative practitioners
- Participation in a final public symposium
The principal research output is a 6,000–8,000-word report. Additional outputs may also be developed where appropriate.
What Research Methods Can Applicants Use?
UAL is not restricting applicants to a single research methodology.
Proposals may use:
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- Mixed methods
- Interviews
- Focus groups
- Ethnography
- Social-media analysis
- "Big listening"
- Other suitable emerging research approaches
The important point is that the methodology must be appropriate for answering the research question.
A strong application should therefore clearly explain what you want to investigate, why the question matters, how you will collect and analyse evidence, and how the findings could be useful to creatives and organisations working with popular culture.
What Should the Research Proposal Include?
The research proposal is one of the most important components of the application.
UAL asks for a proposal of approximately 1,000–1,200 words, excluding references.
The proposed structure includes:
Project Description
Approximately 300–400 words explaining the research project, its central question and its significance.
Methodology
Approximately 500–600 words explaining how the research will be conducted.
Delivery Plan
Approximately 200 words outlining how the project will be completed during the fellowship.
Applicants should avoid submitting a proposal that simply describes an interesting social issue. The project needs to demonstrate a clear research question, credible methodology, realistic delivery plan and potential practical impact.
Eligible Nationalities
International researchers may be able to apply, but there is an important restriction concerning UK work permission.
Applicants must already have the right to work in the United Kingdom for the entire fellowship period.
The fellowship should therefore not be treated as an opportunity to obtain UK work authorization. The programme does not provide visa-cost support, and applicants should also consider their own arrangements for living expenses and other personal costs.
Selected fellows must also attend required activities in London, including the programme's in-person events.
Eligibility Criteria
The fellowship is intended for applicants with substantial research experience.
A PhD is not strictly required, provided the applicant can demonstrate equivalent research expertise through a strong record of academic or independent research.
Applicants should be able to show:
- A doctoral degree or equivalent research experience
- A strong record of research outputs
- Experience designing and delivering research projects
- Excellent written and spoken English
- The ability to work independently
- Availability for the full fellowship period
The programme is not primarily intended for practice-based research. Therefore, having experience as a filmmaker, artist, writer or creative practitioner alone may not be enough.
An independent researcher without a PhD could still be considered if their previous research work demonstrates the required level of expertise.
Application Procedure
What Documents Are Required?
Applicants should prepare several materials before submitting their application.
These include:
- CV
- Research outputs record
- Links to relevant publications or previous work where available
- 1,000–1,200-word research proposal
- Supporting statement
- At least one example of a research project previously designed and delivered
The previous research example is particularly important because the fellowship is looking for researchers who can demonstrate that they have already conducted substantial research.
How Are Applications Assessed?
Applications are expected to be assessed across several areas, including:
- Fit with the fellowship's objectives
- Quality of the proposed research
- Previous research experience
- Ability to deliver the project
- Strength of the research methodology
- Quality and relevance of previous outputs
- Potential practical impact of the research
Applicants should therefore avoid focusing entirely on their academic qualifications. A strong application should connect previous research experience, the proposed project and the practical value of the findings.
What Is the Fellowship Timeline?
Applications opened on 1 August 2026 and close on 11 September 2026.
The expected timeline is:
- Application deadline: 11 September 2026
- Interviews: 28–30 September 2026
- Fellowship begins: November 2026
- In-person London workshop: 2 November 2026
- Duration: Nine months
Candidates should prepare their proposal and evidence of previous research well before the deadline because the application requires more than a CV and short personal statement.
Storytelling Research Fellowship 2026/27 Deadline
The deadline to apply for the UAL AKO Storytelling Research Fellowship 2026/27 is 11 September 2026.
The programme will select six researchers, with the fellowship beginning in November 2026.
Applicants should pay particular attention to the requirement for UK work eligibility and the focus on British viewing audiences before submitting an application.
Is Your Research Idea Suitable for the UAL Fellowship?
The Storytelling Research Fellowship 2026/27 is particularly relevant if your research examines how popular culture can influence social attitudes, behaviour or public engagement with major issues.
Before applying, make sure you can demonstrate credible research experience, a strong methodology, a clear research question and a practical focus on British audiences. Also confirm that you already have the necessary UK work permission for the fellowship period.
If your proposed project involves film, television, TikTok, music, podcasts, gaming or another form of popular culture, explain clearly what you want to investigate and how you intend to conduct the research. This will help demonstrate that your project is research-driven rather than simply a creative production idea.
