Postdoctoral Fellowship in Artistic Research (LUCA)

LUCA School of Arts invites applications for an individual Postdoctoral Fellowship in Artisitc Research aimed at one highly promising artistic researcher with a strong profile. This fellowship is explicitly designed to enable the Fellow to prepare and submit a competitive application for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (MSCA-PF 2026) as the primary objective. Where relevant, the fellowship also supports the preparation of a subsequent FWO (Research Foundation Flanders) Postdoctoral Fellowship application.

The 18-month fellowship offers a research, training and career development trajectory, aligned primarily with the MSCA evaluation criteria (Excellence, Impact and Implementation), and secondarily with those of the FWO. The fellow will carry out their own research project and will be fully embedded in LUCA’s research community, including supervision, mentoring, participation in research seminars and events, teaching-related activities, and two-way knowledge exchange.

In order to guarantee this embedding in LUCA as a host institution, applicants are expected to establish contact, prior to submission, with a senior researcher affiliated with LUCA School of Arts, who can act as host and supervisor during the fellowship. The list of senior researchers can be consulted here: https://luca.kuleuven.be/english/research/researchers/supervisors-of-a-phd-in-the-arts  

The quality of the match between the applicant, the proposed research project and the envisaged supervisor will be considered in the evaluation, in line with MSCA host requirements. 

Responsibilities

The duration of the fellowship is 18 months.

During this period, the fellow is expected to:

• prioritise the preparation and submission of a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (MSCA-PF) application (deadline September 2026);
• develop and consolidate a high-quality research and/or artistic research portfolio;
• where relevant, build on the MSCA proposal towards a secondary FWO Postdoctoral Fellowship application (deadline November 2026).
• strengthen their academic and artistic CV through excellent outputs and international visibility;
• engage actively in LUCA’s research environment;
• devote the equivalent of 20% of their time to teaching during the 2026-2027 academic year.

Profile

Applicants must comply with all of the following criteria:

• Hold a PhD in the arts or a closely related field. The PhD must have been successfully defended by 30 April 2026 at the latest, and no longer than four years prior to the start of the fellowship.
• Comply with the MSCA mobility rule: applicants must not have resided in or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Belgium for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately prior to 9 September 2026.
• Hold EEA citizenship.
• Demonstrate a strong research profile and track record, appropriate to their career stage.
• Show a clear and well-motivated match between:
• their research project and career development plans;
• the research and educational activities within LUCA.
• Be loyal towards the mission, vision and educational policy of LUCA School of Arts.

Application documents

Applications must be submitted by the researcher and include the following documents:

1. Biosketch (max. ½ page)

A short biosketch highlighting the candidate’s research excellence, originality and career development potential, in line with MSCA expectations.

The biosketch should include, where relevant:

• at least one first-author publication or equivalent high-quality artistic output;
• international experience and/or mobility;
• other elements demonstrating the candidate’s potential to develop into an independent researcher.

2. Work plan at LUCA School of Arts (max. 1 page)

A concise work plan outlining a coherent research, training and career development trajectory during the fellowship at LUCA School of Arts.

The work plan should:

• build on the achievements obtained prior to the fellowship;
• clearly indicate how the proposed activities will contribute to the preparation of a competitive MSCA-PF application;
• address:
  • envisaged outputs (international publications, artistic outputs and other forms of dissemination);
  • training needs and skills development;
  • organisation of knowledge and expertise exchange;
  • execution of additional artistic research or the development of artistic practices.

3. Outline of the MSCA-PF application (max. 1 page)

A structured outline of the envisaged Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship proposal, demonstrating the candidate’s understanding of MSCA evaluation criteria.

The outline should be organised along the following elements:

• Excellence: research objectives, originality and positioning within the field;
• Training: envisaged skills development and learning outcomes for the fellow;
• Impact: expected impact on the fellow’s career development and, where relevant, beyond academia;
• Implementation: hosting and supervision environment at LUCA School of Arts, including the role of the relevant research cluster.

Applicants may briefly indicate how the MSCA proposal could subsequently be adapted for an FWO Postdoctoral Fellowship.

4. Curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages)

A concise academic and/or artistic CV, including publications, artistic outputs, grants, residencies, teaching experience and other relevant activities. LUCA commits to evaluating the CV with attention to non-linear career paths and appreciation of geographic, interdisciplinary and intersectoral mobility, as well as non-traditional forms of research output.

5. Identification document

A copy of the applicant’s ID card and/or international passport.

6. Letter of support

Applicants should include a brief letter of support from a prospective supervisor affiliated with LUCA School of Arts who is willing to act as host during the fellowship. Applicants are expected to establish contact, prior to submission, with a senior researcher affiliated with LUCA School of Arts, who can act as host and supervisor during the fellowship. The list of senior researchers can be consulted here: https://luca.kuleuven.be/english/research/researchers/supervisors-of-a-phd-in-the-arts. The quality of the match between the applicant, the proposed research project and the envisaged supervisor will be taken into account in the evaluation, in line with MSCA host requirements.

Offer

We offer a temporary employment, fixed-term contractual position (100%, salary scale  509) for 18 months. More information about the salary scales can be found on the website of the Department of  Education: (www.ond.vlaanderen.be). Estimated starting date is 1 May 2026.

LUCA School of Arts offers the fellow:

• a salary in accordance with postdoctoral salary scale 509, corresponding to a full-time postdoctoral position and including social security coverage
• a working budget of €5,500;
• facilities including desk space, internet access, access to university libraries and workshops;
• academic and artistic supervision and mentoring within the relevant expertise network;
• structured support from LUCA’s and KU Leuven’s research support services in preparing the MSCA-PF application, including feedback moments and internal review;
• additional support, where relevant, for a subsequent FWO Postdoctoral Fellowship application;
• full integration into LUCA’s research environment to strengthen both international visibility (MSCA) and institutional embedding (FWO).

LUCA School of Arts aims to award one Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. The institution reserves the right not to make an award if no application meets the required standard of excellence.

At LUCA you will be part of an environment where respect and integrity define our basic attitude, where we see sustainability and diversity as an asset and quality is our motivation. In the coming years, we want to give  LUCA an identity as an actor in society, let our education institute become part of a laboratory, complement our offer with demand-driven initiatives, and open up our multicampus reality to a network. This will put you  in a stimulating environment in which we offer numerous opportunities to give your own interpretation on one of the campuses of LUCA School of Arts.

LUCA aims to create an environment in which all talents can develop to their full potential, regardless of  gender, age, cultural background, nationality or disability. That is why we welcome all talented people who  recognize the added value of diversity and want to help shape an inclusive organisation.

Interested?

More information about the position can be obtained via reseach@luca-arts.be

You can apply until 01/03/2026 via CV Warehouse (click on the 'Apply' button at the bottom of the page). An interview will be scheduled online on the 16th of March 2026.

Application deadline: 1 March 2026

Start of the fellowship: 1 May 2026

End of the fellowship: 31 October 2027

If the applicant successfully acquires an external fellowship, the LUCA fellowship will end at the start date of the external fellowship.

• expected start of MSCA-PF: April 2027
• expected start of FWO Postdoctoral Fellowship: October 2027

 

Attachment: Indicative Timeline for External Fellowships

MSCA-PF deadline: 9 September 2026

FWO Postdoctoral Fellowship deadline: 15 November 2026

MSCA-PF results: approx. 15 February 2027

FWO preselection results: approx. 30 March 2027