Clore Fellowship

We’re looking for leaders who are:

• Dynamic, strategic, and collaborative
• Intellectually curious, creative, and possess emotional intelligence and integrity
• Entrepreneurial and passionate about making a difference through culture
• Ready to take on significant leadership challenges and effect change
• Who are deeply reflective, able to ask themselves honest and searching questions

This adaptive program is for leaders from across the cultural sector, who are ready to make a step change in their leadership careers and the cultural sector. Whether working independently or as part of an institution, you should demonstrate an aptitude and appetite for effecting significant change. We’re committed to increasing the diversity of leaders in arts and culture and particularly welcome applications from leaders from the global majority, and D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent leaders who are currently under-represented in the sector.

For 2026/27, through support from our funders, we are able to offer the following Fellowships listed with their specific eligibility criteria: (please note you are able to apply for up to 2 Fellowships, providing you meet the criteria). 

Cultural Learning Fellowship supported by the Clore Duffield Foundation
Cultural Learning Fellowships support candidates with a background in cultural education, learning, outreach, participation, and engagement (including formal education) living and working in the UK, seeking to extend their leadership into senior roles in cultural institutions.

Culture & Climate Leaders Fellowship supported by The Linbury Trust This Fellowship is open to applicants who are based in the UK and whose work focuses primarily in the field of Culture and Climate Emergency.

Dance Fellowship supported by The Linbury Trust and Dancers’ Career Development The Dance Fellowship is open to anyone who has worked as a professional dancer for 8 years, 5 of those years spent in the UK, and who is committed to developing as a cultural leader.

Duffield Fellowship supported by the Clore Duffield Foundation
Duffield Fellowships support candidates seeking to lead medium to large-scale cultural institutions in the UK and will prioritise applicants working in any discipline within cultural institutions of 200+ staff.

Excellerate Fellowship supported by Arts Council England
Excellerate Fellowships support exceptional early-career leaders (aged 24 – 35) working in the cultural sector to fast-track their professional development. These Fellowships are open to candidates who live and work in England within a cultural discipline supported by Arts Council England.

Theatre Fellowship supported by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation
These Fellowships support candidates with the ambition to excel as a leader in theatre in the UK.

Transform Fellowship supported by Arts Council England
Transform Fellowships address diversity and under-representation in leadership and will support leaders from diverse backgrounds, including lived experience of ethnic diversity and disability. These Fellowships are open to candidates who live and work in England within a cultural discipline supported by Arts Council England.

Visual Artist Fellowship supported by a-n The Artists Information Company
The Visual Artist Fellowship is open to professional visual artists (and a-n members*) seeking to develop as leaders in the cultural sector. This Fellowship is for artists living and working in the UK who are working within fine art, applied art, live arts and moving images, sound and text-based practices, digital and animation, participatory, public and community arts. *Applicants must be a-n members (specifically, Artist members) Membership joining page – https://www.a-n.co.uk/join/

Self funded and Employer Funded Fellowships

You can apply as a self or employer funded Fellow. The application process is the same as for funded Fellowships. If you are successful and are offered a place, you or your employer would need to have funds available to cover the full costs of your participation in the Programme.

International Fellowships

Applicants from India, South Africa, Lebanon, Mexico, China, Egypt and Brazil, for details on how to apply for a Chevening Clore Fellowship please visit the Chevening website

If you are self-employed or taking a career break whilst on your Fellowship, you will normally be eligible for a bursary of £14,000 for UK Fellowships, paid directly to you (with the exception of self–funded or employer-supported Fellowships, such as National Trust.)

If you are planning to remain in employment during your Fellowship (and have been awarded a funded Fellowship), your employer will be able to claim a contribution up to a maximum of £14,000 towards compensation for the periods when you are away from the workplace, on receipt of proof that you continue to receive a salary.

Self/ Employer Funded Fellowship
If you apply for and are awarded a Self/ Employer funded Fellowship alongside covering your living expenses, you will agree to pay the costs of the Fellowship including the training and development budget, a contribution to the core activities such as the residential courses, mentoring, coaching, etc. and an admin fee to Clore Leadership. The cost is £22,000 + VAT. The application, selection process and structure of the Fellowships remain the same as for all Fellowships. Do get in touch with us if you would like to discuss this option further.

If your employee is offered a funded Fellowship, Clore Leadership will invest the equivalent of around £35,500 in their development as a cultural leader, with support from our funders.

The benefits to employers include a refreshed, more skilled and more confident leader, with substantially enhanced knowledge and leadership skills and access to an improved network which can help strengthen the organisation.

Employers of funded UK participants will be eligible to claim up to £14,000 as a contribution for the periods when they are away from work focusing on the Fellowship, on the condition that the organisation provides evidence that it will continue to pay the participant’s salary and benefits throughout the Fellowship.

In addition, all participants receive funding for their individual learning programme, which includes mentoring, coaching, participation in group workshops and a tuition budget to cover secondment expenses, research costs, course fees and study visits.

You should expect the employee to be away from the workplace for a period of around 5-7 months as a condition of the Fellowship offer.

In some instances, you may choose to part-fund/fund a Fellowship for one of your employees. If part-funding you will cover the costs of the Fellows’ agreed salary, employer’s National Insurance, any agreed pension contribution and other current benefits and entitlements throughout the course of the Fellowship and any back-fill within the organisation. In addition, you will need to agree to pay the costs of the Fellowship including the training and development budget, a contribution to the core activities such as the residential courses, mentoring, coaching etc. and an admin fee to Clore Leadership. The application, selection process and structure of the Fellowships remain the same as for all Fellowships.
Do get in touch with us if you would like to discuss this option further.

You can make your Fellowship application in alternative format (E.g. audio or video) in our applications portal. If you need support email [email protected]  leave us a message and we will get back to you.

Application Guide in BSL/Audio or captions available here

Supporting your access on the residential course

We will discuss any support you might need with you before you start the Fellowship to make sure we can make adjustments or put the additional support you need in place. We have worked with many D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent leaders previously. The support you need is individual to you, but the kinds of things we have put in place before includes;

• Providing a note taker throughout the residential
• Support for a Personal Assistant to attend with you
• Captioning of online residential sessions
• Supporting the costs of BSL interpreters
• Providing written materials in different formats

Support for those with caring responsibilities

To help support those with caring responsibilities we provide a Carer’s Support Bursary which can support costs of up to £75 per day towards additional childcare or other caring related costs during residentials/workshops and during your Fellowship.

Our venues

Our residential venues have undergone an access audit. Our training spaces are level access, with accessible toilets located nearby. Accessible accommodation is available and we will ask you about your specific accommodation requirements prior to the residential.