8 August 2025
Prof. Sara L. Uckelman (Durham University) Launches Artium: A Pioneering Platform to Democratise Research Funding for the Arts and Humanities, supported by Durham University and Northern Accelerator
Durham University is proud to announce the launch of Artium, a pioneering digital platform set to revolutionise how foundational research in the arts, humanities and culture is supported.
Artium, led by Prof. Sara L. Uckelman in the Department of Philosophy at Durham University, will create a more equitable and sustainable research funding environment.
The platform aims to disrupt traditional, prestige-driven models by connecting donors, scholars, and early-career researchers in a unique, shared ecosystem.
A New Model for Research Funding
Artium addresses a long-standing challenge within the arts and humanities: Ensuring essential but often underfunded areas of research receive the support they need to thrive.
With decreasing government funding available, research councils and large charities focus on funding big projects, with many people and involving many disciplines.
In contrast, Artium supports exploratory research and projects in their initial stages. In its current pilot phase, Artium introduces a model where donors, instead of selecting individual projects to fund, pool contributions to support a broad portfolio of “fundamentally important” research for the purpose of equitable distribution.
Artium also provides vital career experience by offering paid roles to students and recent graduates. In strengthening the academic research pipeline, it encourages interdisciplinary, exploratory and unconventional research that holds long-term societal value but may struggle to secure traditional grants.
Prof Sara L. Uckelman, Founder of Artium
With more than twenty years research experience in the arts and humanities, across four countries, Professor Uckelman knows first-hand the importance of small-scale funding at the very start of research projects.
“Too often, traditional grant opportunities seem to want you to know what you will find in your research before you’ve even undertaken it,” says Uckelman. “There is no resource for funding small-scale, foundational, exploratory research. Artium was born out of a very real need that I and my colleagues face: Brilliant ideas in the humanities are constrained by funding models that favour prestige over potential. By building a community where donors can be confident their support is making a real difference across the field, and where early-career researchers can secure fair pay for meaningful work, we are creating a better future for how we support and sustain our shared culture.”
Strategic Vision and University Impact
Upon a successful pilot phase, Artium aims to establish itself as a spin-out company of Durham University, providing a flexible structure for growth and aligning with the university’s ambition to translate academic innovation into real-world impact – and you can be a part of it!
This initiative is a reinforcement of Durham’s position as a leader in fostering new ventures that bridge academic integrity with market engagement. We are proud to be creating a framework that is truly efficient and sustainable for the future of cultural scholarship.
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