Opportunities

The BAN team and Steering Group have designated 2025 to mid-2026 as time for reflection and consultation as we plan towards the coming years of British Art Network activity. As such, we have decided to pause the Emerging Curators Group this year and will offer it again for mid-2026.

Specific funding strands for Research Groups and Seminars have now come to an end, but members are welcome to apply to this new open fund to hold seminars or workshops or develop/sustain a community of practice around a specific research area.

If the assessment panel does not award the full allocation of funding for this opportunity, we may open a second round of Explore – Connect – Share – Sustain.

We ask that in each round, you only submit one application. Your application, while it may involve different types of spend, should be clearly directed towards a single, cohesive project or activity, even where this forms part of ongoing or extended research or activity.

Yes, BAN funding can be combined with other sources of support where this would help you achieve your aims. We would ask that you state in your application that this is or may be the case. We would also ask you to demonstrate that the BAN funding will bring specific and relevant benefit that would otherwise be unachievable. When combining BAN funding with other support, the full budget and full scope of the project should be described in the application, marking clearly which areas would be supported by BAN. When the project is reported upon, we would expect to see the top-line expenditure for the full project, but only require invoices/receipts for the BAN-funded spend.

By travel costs we mean the costs of fares and/or car mileage, as well as accommodation and subsistence. We would ask you to take account of the guidelines set out below and also give consideration to carbon emissions in making your plans.

BAN has begun collecting, processing and analysing data around the programme’s carbon footprint and sharing this information with our Steering Group. We recognise the positive impact for individual members, their research, collections and the public when people work, collaborate and visit internationally. We also recognise that travel by car, taxi or plane rather than public transport can address barriers to access for some of our members. As such, there is a space in the application form to demonstrate careful consideration around the requirement and benefit when planning to travel by car, taxi or air.

• Carpooling is preferred where possible
• Taxis should only be used where there is demonstrable need, such as carrying heavy items, personal safety (e.g. travelling at night) or access requirements around wayfinding, mobility or health.
• Domestic flights should be avoided unless the journey will otherwise be very challenging to undertake.
• For destinations on the Eurostar line, travelling by train is preferred.
• For international air travel, we would expect members to have reflected upon the feasibility of the activity being undertaken without travel, and the benefit that the travel will bring.

Rates guidelines:

• Car mileage can be covered at 45p per mile
• Hotels should usually not exceed £120-£150 per night
• Breakfast subsistence: up to £7, when activity starts before 07:30am
• Lunch subsistence: up to £16
• Dinner subsistence: up to £27, when activity continues beyond 19:30pm
• Subsistence spend cannot include alcoholic drinks

If you have travel-related costs which you would like to be considered and that are not covered by these guidelines please do get in contact via [email protected] to discuss their eligibility.

Please see suggested rates on BAN’s website here for speakers, facilitators and written commissions.

For day rates, please follow the rates of pay guidelines of Artists’ Union England or Scottish Artists Union.

The British Art Network, as a sector support initiative, has a duty to reflect and foster an inclusive future for British art curatorship and research, through its team, programming and membership.

Providing your personal information is one of the ways in which you, as a BAN member, can hold the Network accountable. We realise this can only work when you feel you can trust us to look after your data, and to use it appropriately and effectively.

We very much hope that you will feel comfortable to complete our monitoring form, although it is not a requirement.

We understand that monitoring forms can represent an emotional and social burden. On behalf of the British Art Network team, we want to thank you for your time and for sharing your personal information.

The British Art Network team commits to using anonymised statistical member data to inform and undertake committed action to develop and improve practices around equity, justice, accessibility, anti-racism, LGBTQI+ rights and beyond.

Year upon year, we will gather, collate and assess the data received on who has applied for our bursary awards, who has received the awards, and who is attending our events. This anonymised statistical data will be shared with the Network’s Steering Group, funders and external evaluators, and will be included in evaluation reports.

Where data does not provide evidence of a steady increase in diversity across the protected characteristics and socio-economic background, we will step up our research, relationship building and our consultancy with external partners in order to identify and address continued barriers to access.

Further information on how this data will be processed is provided at the top of the monitoring form. If you would like more information on this monitoring exercise and how this data is handled please do not hesitate to contact [email protected].

We are always looking to expand and diversify our membership and very much welcome applications from people who are new to the British Art Network. Membership of BAN is always open and free. To find out more and to join, please visit our membership page here.

We tend to get a lot of membership requests when bursary opportunities are open and there can be a backlog in processing these. Therefore, please do put in your bursary application before the deadline even if you have not yet heard back about your membership request.

The British Art Network supports curatorial practice and research into British art in all its forms, across time periods and geographical locations. You don’t need to work exclusively with British art, but the activity you’re applying for funding support towards should be connected to British art. We consider British art a global phenomenon and encourage transnational and decolonising approaches.

We are working on expanding our international reach and membership and will certainly accept applications from members outside the UK.