The Textile Research Centre, Leiden.From early 2026, the Textile Research Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands, is offering a total of seven junior and four senior fellowships for up to six months each. The first junior fellow has started her work in Leiden in April.
The fellowships are being sponsored by the Gieskes-Strijbis Foundation, Amsterdam. Fellows are invited to carry out research based on the TRC’s extensive textiles and dress collection of some 53,000 objects (click here for the catalogue). The junior fellows are supervised and assisted by TRC staff; senior fellows carry out independent research.
We are now opening the second round of the fellowships that covers:
- Two junior positions
- One senior position
These will be starting in October 2026 (with a degree of flexibility), for a duration of up to 6 months. Applications for these positions should be submitted by email to the TRC by 20 June 2026 (Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.) with the reference: ‘Fellowship programme Junior/ Senior' (depending on the position applied for).
Recently acquired camouflage suit from Ukraine (TRC 2025.1840a).Fellows are selected by a special committee from among the TRC staff and/or Board, after, if required, the advice of external specialists.
Further calls for applications for another senior position and two more junior positions will be made in December 2026 for a start in April 2027. If you are interested to apply for the December round, you can email us in advance so we can make sure that you are informed by the end of the year.
As the TRC has just moved to new premises. Although the greater part of the collection is now available, the following countries’ collection items may not all be directly accessible for research until early 2027: European regional wear, The United States, South America and Africa. If you have questions about the availability of some objects or groups of objects, please contact us.
Contents
The Programme encourages object-based research and stimulates different approaches to view textiles, dress and related accessories (such as through a technical, historical, curatorial or fashion-oriented lens), with the TRC collection at the heart of the planned research.
With this Programme, the TRC wants to help build a new generation of specialists within the broad field of textiles and dress studies. With the Programme the TRC also wants to widen knowledge and understanding of the objects in the collection, as well as promote and strengthen the role of the TRC in the world of textile and dress institutions.
The TRC wants to contribute to the sustainability of clothing and textiles, and stimulate a better understanding of the wide diversity of textiles and dress, produced, used and worn worldwide. To this purpose, the TRC invites its fellows and others to tell the stories behind our collection objects to a wide audience and to think about and explore the transmission of textile knowledge in a variety of ways (through blogs, articles, photographs, films, exhibitions, workshops, conferences, etc.).
A late-20th century embroidered head covering from Sana'a, Yemen (TRC 1997.0203).Results
The fellowship will preferably result in one or more publications (when suitable) and some organised events related to the research (exhibitions of varying sizes, lectures, workshops, etc). The formal structure and final form of the project will be discussed with the appointed TRC supervisor before the start of the fellowship.
The fellowship will be concluded with a public lecture about the process and results of the fellowship and a written report by the fellow.
Proposal examples
The proposals to be submitted by candidates may focus on a wide variety of topics, for example (but not limited to):
- Archiving and studying our reference collection – which covers textile techniques and equipment.
- Researching a country’s or region’s textile and/or dress traditions or a textile technique of your choice.
- Working on our charts and patterns collection and recreating some pieces.
- Recreating techniques (weaving, lace-making, knitting, embroidery, etc) featured on a textile sample in the collection or a set of notes that has not been researched yet while adding to pertinent historical knowledge.
- Connecting our library with specific objects, or different parts of our collection (technical and geographical).
- Looking at our dress-related collection of accessories such as jewellery, footwear, headwear, bags, etc.
French fashion print depicting two women, one in indoor, the other in outdoor dress (TRC 2024.2393b).Requirements
Fellows are invited to participate in the TRC’s general activities, and to help out, when possible, with other activities, such as the identification of objects, depot and cataloguing work, event supervision, in view of understanding and learning about work in a cultural institution that focusses on textiles and dress.
The TRC organises numerous courses and workshops and is also involved in supervising students who have internships at the TRC. Fellows may be invited to participate in, teach, or organise activities.
Fellows attend regular check-ins with the TRC supervision team, and most of the work and research is done on site, at the TRC. Fellows will have to give a lecture on the results of their research and write a report about it.
Profiles
We aim to promote diversity, and to attract in principle early career scholars from widely differing social and cultural backgrounds. Applicants may be curators, educators, conservators, community members, craftspeople and makers, as long as their proposals align with the fellowship’s aims and the applicant’s interests align with that of the TRC. Fellows, both domestic and international, are appointed based on their knowledge and demonstrable interest in clothing and textiles, their specific interests, their enthusiasm, and their willingness to collaborate with others.
For the junior fellowships, we particularly welcome candidates with a relevant Master’s degree or equivalent. For senior fellows, we welcome candidates with a proven background in research and preferably a PhD degree. Candidates should have excellent command of English. Knowledge or fluency in Dutch is a plus. Research at the TRC is mainly conducted in English.
Pair of embroidered boots for women, 20th century, Uzbekistan (TRC 2021.1935a-b).
What we offer;
- The TRC offers a monthly allowance to its junior fellows, of €2300 euros p.m. and €4000 euros p.m. for senior fellows.
- A truly enthusiastic and stimulating work environment with colleagues that have a deep passion for textiles and/or dress.
- A network of national and international institutions and specialists in the field of textiles and dress to connect with and build lasting professional relationships.
- A working space in the new TRC premises, Boerhaavelaan 6, which is an urban villa in the beautiful and historical city of Leiden, located just behind the Leiden Central Railway Station.
- Access to our facilities, including workspaces, the collection and the library of the TRC and of Leiden University
Financial and residential matters
Costs such as transportation and moving to Leiden to pursue the fellowship, are unfortunately not in our funding capacity and the monthly allowance mentioned above will be the primary source of monetary compensation we can provide for all candidates to cover their personal and practical costs. Fellows will probably need to be officially registered as independent professionals to do so. The TRC can help in the process.
Help with finding accommodation, visa processes and health insurance can be discussed individually, but these related costs are not covered by the TRC. Extra material costs in the case of a practical project are to be discussed with the TRC.
Required application materials:
- A resume detailing the applicant’s professional and personal background (2 pages max.).
- A project proposal containing a description of the planned project, a time frame, the participant’s aims and career plans, and the planned results.
- Two recommendations, or the names of people and their contact details who can be contacted.
For further information, please contact Augusta de Gunzbourg, Manager Exhibitions and Fellowships, Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken..
