The Textile Research Centre at Boerhaavelaan 6, Leiden.For three years, starting mid-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. Three fellows have already started working in Leiden (compare an interim report by Flora Kovacs-Wester), and in this call we hope to attract more candidates for a fascinating stay next year at the TRC in the historic textile city of Leiden.

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 more than 56,000 items (click here for the online catalogue), most of which directly accessible inside the TRC building. The junior fellows are supervised and assisted by TRC staff; senior fellows carry out independent research.

For this round, two positions are offered, one junior and one senior fellowship, starting in the spring of  2027, for a duration of up to 6 months.

Application deadline is Wednesday 16 December 2026. The selection process will be completed by late January and applicants will be informed by 1 February. Fellowships may start from April/May, or later, depending on personal circumstances.

The fellows are selected by a special committee from among the TRC staff and/or Board, after, if required, the advice of external specialists. As the TRC has just moved to new premises, not all of the TRC collection is as yet directly accessible for research until later in the year. Such items include European regional wear, or originate from the United States, South America and Africa. If you have questions about the availability of some objects or groups of objects you are particularly interested in, please contact us (collection manager: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or the education coordinator: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Aims of the fellowship programme

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 prrogramme, the TRC wants to help build a new generation of specialists within the broad field of textiles and dress studies. 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.).

Expected results

The fellowship will preferably result in one or more publications (when suitable) and/or some organised events related to the research (exhibitions of varying sizes, lectures, workshops, etc). The formal structure and final form of the project can be discussed with the appointed TRC supervisor before the start of the fellowship or laid out in the proposal. 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

Proposals may cover a wide variety of topics, for example (but not limited to):

• Archiving and studying our reference collection of textile techniques and equipment.
• Researching the textile and/or dress traditions of a country or region, or a textile technique of your choice.
• Working on our charts and patterns collection and recreating some of the pieces.
• Recreating techniques (weaving, lace-making, knitting, embroidery, etc.) found on a textile sample or in a set of notes in the collection that has not yet been researched, while adding to the relevant historical knowledge.
• Connecting our library with specific objects, or linking different parts of the collection (technical and geographical).
• Studying our collection of dress accessories, such as jewellery, footwear, headwear and bags.

What we ask of our fellows

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.

Who can apply

We aim to promote diversity and in principle to attract scholars or textile professionals from widely differing social and cultural backgrounds. Applicants may be researchers, curators, educators, conservators, community members, craftspeople or makers, as long as their proposal fits the aims of the fellowship and their interests align with those of the TRC. Fellows, both domestic and international, are selected on the basis of their knowledge of 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 experience in the field of textiles. For senior fellows, we welcome candidates with a proven background in research or relevant textile experience 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.

What we offer:

• A monthly allowance of €2,300 for the junior fellows and €4,000 for the senior fellows.
• An enthusiastic and stimulating working environment, with colleagues who share a deep passion for textiles and dress.
• A network of national and international institutions and specialists in textiles and dress, with whom to build lasting professional relationships.
• A workspace in the new TRC premises at Boerhaavelaan 6, an urban villa in the historic city of Leiden, just behind Leiden Central Railway Station.
• Access to our facilities, including workspaces, the TRC collection and library, and the library of Leiden University.

Financial and practical matters

Travel and relocation costs are unfortunately not covered by our funding; the monthly allowance is the only financial compensation we can offer and is intended to cover the fellow’s personal and practical costs. Fellows will probably need to register officially as independent professionals (self-employed); the TRC can help with this process.

Help with finding accommodation, visa procedures and health insurance can be discussed individually, but the related costs are not covered by the TRC. Additional material costs for practical projects should be discussed with the TRC. International applicants are advised to take the time needed for visa procedures into account.

How to apply

Applications should include:

• A CV outlining your professional and personal background (max. 2 pages).
• A project proposal describing the planned project, a timeframe, your aims and career plans, and the intended results (max. 8 pages)
• Two recommendations, or the two names and contact details of two referees.

Please state clearly whether you are applying for the junior or the senior fellowship, and send your application to Augusta de Gunzbourg, Manager Exhibitions and Fellowships, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. by 16 December 2026.

For further questions about the fellowships, please contact Augusta de Gunzbourg, Manager Exhibitions and Fellowships, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..