Hosted in Europe or Southeast Asian countries | 3 Fellowships | 2 months each
Application deadline: 31 December 2025
Fellowship period: Autumn 2026
The Restituting, Reconnecting, Reimagining Sound Heritage (Re:Sound) project invites applications for three short-term research fellowships aimed at scholars, curators, artists, and source community members from Southeast Asia. These fellowships seek to support original research and curatorial experimentation within two main sound collections in the Netherlands: The Jaap Kunst Collection at the Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA) and The Philips Omroep-Hollandse Indies radio broadcasts at the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision (NISV), or other repositories of source communities from Southeast Asia in Europe and repositories in Southeast Asia relevant to Re:Sound.
Re: Sound explores how sonic heritage can challenge Eurocentric narratives of “heritage” by emphasising the perspectives of source communities – those whose voices and cultural practices were recorded, often without consent, during the colonial period. By focusing on sonic heritage, fellows will contribute to:
- Reclaiming marginalised historical narratives through sound by supporting Southeast Asian-led scholarship;
- Exploring the potential of digital and physical restitution to improve source community access to colonial sound archives;
- Promoting more inclusive, representative, and decolonial approaches to heritage curation.
Eligibility: Applicants must be based in or originate from Southeast Asia, with a preference for early-career researchers, curators, artists, or source community members engaged in sound studies, heritage, history, or related fields.
Each fellow will have the opportunity to:
- Conduct archival or practice-based research in one or more sound collections;
- Develop outputs such as articles, curatorial concepts, digital exhibitions or other creative projects centred on sonic heritage, restitution, and decolonial historiography;
- Participate in summer school, workshop and other Re:Sound events to contribute to the expanding Southeast Asian research and curatorial community.
Support provided:
- Round-trip travel to the Netherlands or other Southeast Asian Countries;
- Accommodation and daily allowance;
- Access to archives, libraries, and institutional support;
- Curatorial mentorship and academic collaboration opportunities.
Applicants should submit the following materials in English (PDF format preferred):
- Project Proposal (max. 2 pages): Outline your research/curatorial aims and relevance to Re:Sound.
- Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages) detailing relevant academic, curatorial, or artistic experience.
- A short biography (max. 250 words)
- portfolio or samples of previous work
Please send all application materials to: resound.sonicheritage@gmail.com
Subject line: Re:Sound Fellowship Application – [Your Name]
Image source: Jaap Kunst (middle) in Bali with a gramophone. KITLV 48208