Open Call: Paul Mellon Centre Rome Fellowship Program (UK)

Deadline: 31-Jan-2026

The Paul Mellon Centre Rome Fellowship supports three months of full-time research at the British School at Rome on visually focused topics exploring cultural contact and exchange between Britain and Italy. The fellowship offers accommodation, meals, language training, and honoraria, supporting scholars from early postdoctoral to senior levels. Projects must centre on visual materials, British–Italian cultural interaction, and direct engagement with archives, collections, or Rome’s cultural landscape.

Overview

The Rome Fellowship offered by the Paul Mellon Centre (PMC) provides exceptional scholars with three months in residence at the British School at Rome (BSR) to conduct dedicated research on visual culture topics that examine cultural connections between Britain (including its former Empire and Commonwealth) and Italy. This opportunity supports serious visual studies, archival work, and direct engagement with Rome’s artistic and architectural resources.

What the Fellowship Supports

The fellowship funds research that explores:

Cultural contact, exchange, and influence between Britain and Italy
Visual culture topics from the medieval period to the present
Interactions across art, architecture, design, heritage, and visual representation
Projects grounded in rigorous art-historical and cultural-historical methodologies

To qualify, projects must:

Be centred on visual materials
Engage with critical and historical debates
Involve direct interaction with Rome—its archives, collections, institutions, or urban fabric

Fellowship Benefits

The Rome Fellowship includes:

Residential accommodation at the British School at Rome (BSR)
Meals provided throughout the stay
Italian language lessons
Assistance accessing special archives, collections, or resources not normally open to the public
Honorarium
- £3,000 for employed applicants, plus up to £8,000 for institutional staff replacement costs
- £7,000 for independent scholars
Additional accessibility support, depending on the fellow’s needs

The fellowship is full-time for three months. Split tenure may be considered based on the BSR schedule.

Who Is Eligible?

Applicants must:

Have completed a doctorate by the application deadline
Be scholars, researchers, curators, archivists, or other GLAM-sector professionals
Range from recent PhD graduates to senior international experts
Present a visual-study-focused topic on British–Italian cultural connection
Demonstrate a clear need to be physically present in Rome

Strong applicants will show:

A defined set of archives, collections, or sites they plan to visit
A firm grounding in relevant art-historical and cultural scholarship
A readiness to engage with BSR collections and Rome’s built environment as sources

Why It Matters

This fellowship is significant because it:

Advances global understanding of British–Italian cultural exchange
Facilitates original scholarship rooted in direct visual and archival study
Gives researchers access to Rome’s world-renowned artistic heritage
Strengthens interdisciplinary and international contributions to art history
Supports humanities scholars across career stages
Encourages innovative use of Rome’s archives, museums, architecture, and visual culture

How to Apply

(Exact procedures may vary; refer to PMC’s official call. Below is the structured process applicants typically follow.)

1. Define Your Research Topic

Your proposal should:

Focus on British–Italian cultural interaction
Be rooted in visual materials
Demonstrate strong art-historical and critical grounding
Be feasible within a three-month residency
Explain how the research contributes to broader art-historical understanding

2. Identify Rome-Based Resources

Specify:

Archives you will consult
Museum or library collections
Architectural sites relevant to your study
BSR collections or materials you intend to use
Demonstrating a strong “case for Rome” is essential.

3. Prepare Your Application Package

Common components include:

Research proposal (typically 1,500–2,000 words)
CV
Workplan for the three-month stay
Description of how your project fits PMC priorities
Evidence of PhD completion
References or supporting statements

4. Submit the Application

Upload all materials before the published deadline.

5. Selection Process

Applications are evaluated for:

Scholarly excellence
Originality
Feasibility
Contribution to understanding British–Italian visual culture
Appropriate use of Rome’s archives and artistic resources

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Proposing a topic that is not visually focused
Insufficient justification for conducting research in Rome
Vague references to collections without specifying their relevance
Projects lacking a British–Italian cultural connection
Overly broad or unfocused proposals
Neglecting to address how BSR resources enhance the project

FAQ

1. How long is the Rome Fellowship?

Three months of full-time research based at the British School at Rome.

2. What types of topics are eligible?

Any visually focused topic examining contact, exchange, or influence between Britain and Italy, from medieval to contemporary periods.

3. Do I need a completed PhD?

Yes, applicants must have been awarded their doctorate by the deadline.

4. What financial support is provided?

Accommodation, meals, language training, archival access support, and:

£3,000 + up to £8,000 staff replacement (employed applicants)
£7,000 honorarium for independent scholars

5. Can the fellowship be split into multiple visits?

Split tenure may be allowed depending on the BSR schedule.

6. Are senior scholars eligible?

Yes—applicants range from newly postdoctoral researchers to senior internationally recognised experts.

7. Is visual culture mandatory?

Yes, projects must be centred on visual materials or visual methodologies.

Conclusion

The Paul Mellon Centre Rome Fellowship is a prestigious opportunity enabling scholars to immerse themselves in Rome’s unmatched artistic and archival landscape while pursuing innovative research on British–Italian cultural exchange. With comprehensive support, direct access to resources, and an intellectually rich environment at the BSR, the fellowship empowers researchers to produce impactful work that advances visual culture studies across time periods and disciplines.