Grants of up to £8,000 are available for activities that inspire people and celebrate the resilience, creativity and imagination of humanities in communities across the UK.
The Being Human Festival is the national festival of the humanities, delivering a celebration of the humanities that inspires people and shows the resilience, creativity and imagination in communities across the UK.
Each year the Being Human Festival organisers invite humanities researchers and staff from universities and research organisations to apply to take part in the Being Human Festival by organising a public engagement event, activity or project.
Humanities can be defined as "those branches of knowledge that concern themselves with human beings and their culture, or with analytic and critical methods of inquiry derived from an appreciation of human values and of the unique ability of the human spirit to express itself".
The 2026 Festival will take place from Thursday 5 to Saturday 14 November with the theme “Crossroads: a place of decision, encounter, and consequence.”
Institutions interested in applying are strongly recommended to attend the Being Human 2026 Webinar on Wednesday 25 February 2026. Find out more.
Two types of grants are available, designed to enable events and activities to take place as part of the Festival. Please note, only applicants from UK Higher Education Institutions and AHRC-recognised IROs are eligible to receive a grant.
Institutional Grants – the Institutional Grants offer £4,000–£8,000 to coordinate and deliver a Festival Hub. The deadline for applications is Thursday 16 April 2026 at 5pm.
Festival Event Grants – the Festival Event grants offer up to £4,000 to run a single event or multiple events as part of the Festival. The deadline for applications is Thursday 16 April 2026 at 5pm.
There is also a Festival Event (unfunded) pathway, through which institutions can organise an activity that does not require funding from the Being Human Festival. The deadline for applications is Friday 3 July 2026 at 5pm.
For potential applicants outside the UK that are interested in getting involved in the Festival, please email the Being Human Festival team. Further information about Being Human’s international work is available at this link.
All applications must be submitted via the online system Survey Monkey Apply
Applicants should follow the step-by-step instructions for information on how to set up an account and submit an application. Application form templates have been provided to assist with preparing answers for submitting online.
Further information, including Frequently Asked Questions and the application form can be found on the Being Human Festival website.