Wellcome Funding Opportunities
Wellcome is one of the world's largest independent charitable foundations supporting research that advances human life, health, and wellbeing. Wellcome funds researchers across disciplines including biomedical science, public health, social science, humanities, ethics, and the arts.
Wellcome Early-Career Awards
The Wellcome Early-Career Awards support researchers who are beginning to establish their own research identity and are ready to lead independent projects that could improve understanding of human life, health, and wellbeing. Unlike many biomedical funders, Wellcome welcomes applications from a wide range of disciplines, including neuroscience, psychology, social sciences, humanities, arts, and interdisciplinary fields. This makes the program particularly attractive for emerging NeuroArts researchers studying topics such as music and brain health, creativity and cognition, arts-based mental health interventions, narrative medicine, creative aging, and arts-health partnerships.
Who Can Apply?
- Early-career researchers from any discipline
- Typically researchers who have completed a PhD or equivalent research training
- Applicants must be ready to develop an independent research program
- Open to researchers based at eligible institutions in the UK, Republic of Ireland, and many low- and middle-income countries
Funding
- Salary for the applicant (if required)
- Up to £400,000 in research expenses
- Funding duration typically up to 5 years
Previous Funded Areas Relevant to NeuroArts
Wellcome-funded Early-Career research has included projects in:
- Mental health
- Humanities and health
- Social and cultural determinants of health
- Neuroscience
- Public engagement and health communication
- Ethics and lived experience research
- Interdisciplinary health and wellbeing studies
Upcoming Deadlines
- 21 July 2026
- 10 November 2026
- 6 April 2027
How to Apply
Applications are submitted through Wellcome's online funding system. Applicants must propose innovative research with the potential to improve understanding of health and wellbeing and demonstrate readiness to develop an independent research identity.
Application Link https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes/wellcome-early-career-awards
Wellcome Career Development Awards
The Wellcome Career Development Awards support mid-career researchers who have already established a track record of independent research and are ready to lead ambitious, innovative programs with the potential to generate significant advances in health and wellbeing. For NeuroArts researchers, this is one of the most substantial international funding opportunities available because it can support large-scale interdisciplinary programs that combine neuroscience, psychology, medicine, public health, arts, humanities, and community engagement. Projects exploring arts-based interventions, creativity and brain function, music and dementia, arts and mental health, or arts-health implementation research could be highly competitive if they demonstrate potential for meaningful health impact
Who Can Apply?
- Mid-career researchers
- Researchers already leading independent work
- Individuals with a strong track record of research contributions
- Applicants seeking to become international leaders in their field
Funding
- Applicant salary (if required)
- Research expenses
- Funding typically lasts up to 8 years
- Annual expenditure usually below £250,000 per year (excluding salary)
Previous Funded Areas Relevant to NeuroArts
Career Development Awards have supported research involving:
- Mental health
- Neuroscience
- Public health
- Humanities and health
- Behavioral and social science
- Innovative interdisciplinary approaches to health and wellbeing
Upcoming Deadlines
- 28 July 2026
- 17 November 2026
- 13 April 2027
How to Apply
Applicants submit proposals through Wellcome Funding. Projects must demonstrate potential to generate substantial advances in understanding related to human life, health, or wellbeing and show evidence that the applicant is prepared to lead a major research program.
Application Link: https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes/wellcome-career-development-awards
NeuroArts Funding Fit
Among major international funders, Wellcome is one of the strongest fits for NeuroArts because it explicitly encourages interdisciplinary research spanning health, humanities, social sciences, and innovative methodologies. While it does not offer a dedicated NeuroArts grant program, both the Early-Career Awards and Career Development Awards can support research examining how arts and creative practices influence cognition, mental health, wellbeing, social connection, aging, and brain function.