Get involved
Find out more about how to apply to take part in Being Human Festival.
Get involved
Each year we invite humanities researchers and other staff from universities and research organisations to apply to take part in the festival by organising a public engagement event, activity or project.
Applications for 2024 are now closed. Applications for Being Human Festival 2025 will open in early 2025. Please sign up to our mailing list if you would like to be notified of when applications open.
Application pathways
Funded pathways
We offer two types of grants 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 our grants.
Our Institutional grants offer £4,000–£8,000 to coordinate and deliver a Festival Hub. The deadline for Institutional grants has now passed (Friday 12 April). Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by Friday 7 June.
Our Festival Event grants offer up to £4,000 to run a single event or multiple events as part of the festival. The deadline for Festival Event grants has now passed (Friday 12 April). Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by Friday 7 June.
Festival Event (unfunded) pathway
Through our Festival Event pathway you can organise an activity that does not require funding from us. The deadline for Festival Event (unfunded) applications has now passed (Thursday 18 July). Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by Friday 26 July.
If you are based outside of the UK and are interested in getting involved in the festival, please email us at: beinghuman@sas.ac.uk. You can find out more about our international work here.
Developing your application
Before putting together your application, please ensure you refer to the relevant further information document, our case studies, our planning toolkits and our FAQs. We recommend that you also watch the recording of the 'Applying to Being Human Festival 2024' webinar.
If you have any questions about applying to take part in the festival, please refer to our FAQs first. If your question is not answered there, then please feel free to contact us via email at apply.beinghuman@sas.ac.uk.
Applying online
Step-by-step instructions
Applications will only be accepted via our online system Survey Monkey Apply. Please follow these step-by-step instructions on how to set up your account and submit an application.
Register for an account
- Visit this page and click the green ‘Register’ button in the top right hand corner.
- Register for an applicant account by completing the form. A confirmation link will be sent to your email. You won’t be able to submit applications or complete certain tasks until your email address has been verified.
Start your application
- Once you have verified your email address, log in on this page and click ‘View programs’. You can then select ‘More’ under Being Human Festival, or follow this link.
- Click the green ‘Apply’ button to start your application.
- You will be required to name your application. Please include your last name, organisation name and the pathway you are apply for, e.g. ‘Last name, University of London – Institutional grant’.
- If you wish to collaborate with a colleague on an application you will now be able to add them as a collaborator, and they will be invited to set up an applicant account via email.
- Click ‘Pathway Selection’, select the award you are applying for and then click the ‘Mark as complete’ button.
- Click 'Complete Task' to confirm your pathway selection.
- An application form link will appear on the left-hand side. Click the link. This will take you to the application form.
- Once you have completed the application form click the ‘Mark as complete’ button.
- When you are ready to submit your application click the ‘Submit’ button. Please note, once you have submitted your application you will not be able to edit it. Please note you can save and return to your application as you need. You will need to ensure answers are entered for all required fields on the page you are on before moving to the next page or saving your progress. You may wish to use the templates provided to prepare your answers before entering them online.
- You should receive a confirmation email once you have submitted your application.
If you have any accessibility questions relating to online forms, or if you have any questions about the application process, please contact us at apply.beinghuman@sas.ac.uk.