The Ethnographic Study Collection (ESC) Committee is set up to facilitate cooperation between the University’s Anthropology Department and the Ethnographic Department at Moesgaard Museum. Each year, the ESC distributes grants to a number of projects. Usually, support is targeted at MA students [kandidatstuderende] for the collection of or communication related to ethnographic material assembled during their fieldwork or for their MA thesis. Others with a disciplinary connection to the anthropological environment at Moesgaard can apply as well.
What kind of activities can I apply for?
You can apply for support to cover expenses connected to communication and exhibition work, particularly those related to work at or preparation for a “product thesis” [produktspeciale] involving MoMu. You can also apply for support for travels or investigations of relevance to the museum, for example related to the acquisition of new objects or other types of material for its ethnographic collections, including its UNESCO collections. In that case, grants may be used to cover costs related to travel and accommodation during fieldwork. The fieldwork or project should be either ongoing or upcoming. We do not cover past projects.
How large are the grants, and how do they work?
The grants usually fall in portions of 5.000‐15.000 kroner. Advance payments are not possible; instead, recipients will have relevant and documented expenses related to travel, accommodation, and other costs reimbursed upon their return. Note that expenses related to the acquisition and transport of museum objects will usually be covered by MoMu and thus cannot be covered by these grants.
When must the funding be spent, and bills settled?
Funding granted in this round must be spent, and bills settled, before the end of 2020.
How to go about it
Applications can be written in Danish or English. Applications addressing the committee, consisting of a short project proposal of no more than two pages in total, outlining the main idea, a time plan, and a budget, must be e-mailed to the head of the committee, associate professor Susanne Højlund, etnosh@cas.au.dk, no later than Wednesday March 25, at noon. Responses will be given in early March.
The project proposal should address (1) in what ways the project is relevant for the university-museum collaboration; (2) how the project is/could be related to other ongoing research or initiatives (at the university and/or the museum); (3) whether any external partners or institutions are involved, and if so, whether agreements with those are already in place. The budget must specify (1) what exact amount of funding is applied for through the ESC; (2) what support has been achieved from other sources, if any; and (3) whether the realization of the project depends upon further funding from other sources. PLEASE USE THE PROVIDED BUDGET FORM!
Note that the ESC cannot cover expenses for
- the purchase and transport of museum objects. Any such issues should be settled with MoMu in advance.
- electronic equipment (e.g. cameras or computers) for use in the field. In rare cases, the museum may be able to loan out equipment for specific tasks.
The types of expenses most commonly covered by ESC grants are direct travel costs (excluding insurances) and accommodation “in the field”, as well as costs related to the mounting of exhibitions or other communication initiatives “back home”.
Get in touch first!
We recommend that those considering applying contact the relevant museum curators, Ulrik Høj Johnsen (uhj@moesgaardmuseum.dk, the ethnographic collections), Thea Skaanes (ts@moesgaardmuseum.dk, the UNESCO collections), or Anders Emil Rasmussen (aer@moesgaardmuseum.dk, ethnographic exhibitions) to discuss your ideas in advance. Grant holders must agree to enter into further dialogue with MoMu staff prior to initiating their activities.
