UAL Storytelling Research Fellowship 2026/2027 in the UK | Up to £48,563 Salary

Application Deadline: 11 September 2026

Researchers interested in the power of storytelling and popular culture now have an exciting opportunity to join the Storytelling Research Fellowship 2026/2027, a prestigious programme offered by the UAL AKO Storytelling Institute in partnership with the Power of Pop Fund at Comic Relief.

The fellowship supports original research exploring how popular culture influences social and environmental change through media such as film, television, music, gaming, podcasts, publishing, comics, social media, and digital storytelling.

Successful fellows will receive a salary package valued at up to £48,563 per year (pro rata), mentorship from leading experts, research guidance, and the opportunity to present their findings at a public symposium in London.

Fellowship Summary

About the Storytelling Research Fellowship

The fellowship is designed to build a stronger evidence base for understanding how, when, and why stories create meaningful social change. Research is expected to be both academically rigorous and practically useful, especially for creatives, broadcasters, funders, civil society organisations, and campaigners.

The programme will support six research projects during the 2026/2027 cohort. Fellows will work independently while also participating in shared workshops, peer-learning activities, and a closing symposium.

Read: How to Write a Winning Grant Proposal

Research Themes

Applicants may submit proposals under one of the following themes:

• Climate justice: Public support and mobilisation through popular culture.
• Young men’s identity and wellbeing: How pop culture shapes masculinity and wellbeing.
• Poverty and economic justice
• Migration, race, belonging, and national identity
• Populism, democracy, and people power

Important: The programme intends to commission one project specifically focused on masculinities using an ethnographic research approach.

Expected Research Outputs

Fellows must produce:

• A 6,000–8,000-word written research report (excluding references).

Additional outputs such as public-facing articles, presentations, multimedia resources, or other dissemination formats may be discussed with the fellowship team where appropriate.

Who Can Apply?

The fellowship is open to researchers whose work relates to:

• Storytelling and narrative change
• Popular culture and media studies
• Representation and audience behaviour
• Social change and cultural influence
• Communication, sociology, anthropology, political science, or related fields

Applicants should hold a PhD or demonstrate equivalent research expertise through a substantial record of high-quality academic or independent research.

Please note that this is not a practice-based creative fellowship; applicants must propose a clearly defined research project.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Have the right to work in the UK for the entire fellowship period.
• Be able to attend required in-person activities in London.
• Commit to the full nine-month programme.
• Propose an original, unpublished research project.
• Be fluent in English.
• Demonstrate the knowledge and skills outlined in the fellowship person specification.

Research teams are not eligible; each fellowship is awarded to an individual researcher.

Fellowship Benefits

Selected fellows will receive:

• A nine-month employment contract with UAL.
• Salary based on an annual rate of £48,563, paid pro rata.
• Approximately £19,425 over the fellowship period.
• Mentorship from experienced researchers and storytelling experts.
• Access to workshops, peer-learning sessions, and research guidance.
• Participation in a final public symposium to present research findings.

Costs Not Covered

The programme does not provide funding for:

• Visa expenses
• Childcare
• Legal support
• Research production or publication costs
• Studio space
• Materials
• General living expenses

Programme Timeline

How to Apply

Interested researchers should prepare a strong research proposal explaining:

• The research question
• Why the topic matters
• The methodology to be used
• Expected outputs
• The potential practical impact of the findings

Applications should be submitted through the official UAL application portal before the deadline.

Official Application Page: UAL Storytelling Research Fellowship 2026/2027

Why This Fellowship Matters

Stories shape public opinion, influence behaviour, and can help drive social and environmental action. This fellowship offers researchers a rare opportunity to investigate those processes in depth while working alongside a cohort of scholars focused on real-world impact.

For academics, independent researchers, and narrative-change specialists based in the UK, the UAL Storytelling Research Fellowship 2026/2027 provides both financial support and a respected platform to contribute meaningful evidence to the growing field of storytelling and social change.

Apply before 11 September 2026 to be considered for the 2026/2027 cohort.