academic & artistic research fellowships

The European Cultural Foundation (ECF) was established in 1954 by visionaries such as Denis de Rougemont, Robert Schuman, Hendrik Brugmans and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. It was founded on the belief that Europe will not be built by treaties alone. It requires something deeper: a sense that our destinies are connected. For over seventy years, the Foundation has championed the vital role of culture and education in fostering a shared European sense of belonging and solidarity.

This commitment has given rise to countless programmes, institutes, campaigns, and collaborations, including its contribution to shaping and implementing the ERASMUS student mobility scheme. The Foundation’s capacity to adapt and innovate has uniquely positioned it to respond to, and often anticipate, major transitions in Europe. This legacy is now preserved at the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) in Florence, alongside records of the European Union’s main institutions—recognising the Foundation’s key role in the European integration process.