ABU DHABI, 2nd October, 2026 (WAM) -- The Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with Zayed University and MAJRA - National CSR Fund, has launched the second cycle of the Modern Heritage Grant Programme 2026-2027, in a new step towards strengthening the ecosystem of research, documentation, and creativity associated with the UAE’s modern heritage.
The second cycle is held under the theme, ‘Modern Heritage as a Living Practice: Adaptation, Memory, Contribution and the Future.’ The cycle comprises four main grant categories, including two new categories designed to expand the scope of beneficiaries and support different stages of the knowledge-production cycle. The categories include the Scholarly Research Grant, Creative Research Grant, Publication Grant, and Research Initiation Fund.
The Scholarly Research Grant provides support for original academic and applied research, with potential outputs including academic articles, book chapters, and research manuscripts for books.
The Creative Research Grant supports projects that explore modern heritage through artistic and design approaches, offering a diverse range of potential outputs, including creative publications, drawings and illustrations, photography series, films, art installations, research exhibitions, and other formats.
The second cycle introduces the Publication Grant as a new category aimed at supporting the publication and accessibility of completed or near-completed research works. Potential outputs include research studies and books, photography books, illustrated publications, translation books, and academic articles.
The cycle also introduces the Research Initiation Fund, a new category dedicated to emerging researchers in the field of modern heritage. It provides support during the initial stage of exploring research topics, alongside access to specialised guidance from experts and researchers.
The Ministry of Culture will accept applications for the second cycle until October 31 through its official website. Researchers and creatives are encouraged to submit their projects under four focus areas aligned with the theme of the cycle.
The first focus area, ‘Climate Intelligence,’ focuses on knowledge and practices associated with environmental adaptation, exploring how traditional environmental knowledge has contributed to shaping modern construction practices and the lessons these experiences can offer for climate-responsive design in the future.
The second focus area, ‘Everyday Modernities,’ examines homes, schools, civic buildings, and markets, alongside oral and social histories and lived experiences associated with modern buildings, and explores how modern architecture has contributed to shaping everyday life and collective memory in the UAE.
The third focus area, ‘Modern Contributions and Regional Networks,’ focuses on the people, communities, and networks that have contributed to shaping modern heritage.
The fourth focus area, ‘Future Conservation and Digital Practices,’ explores adaptive reuse, digital documentation, artificial intelligence (AI), heritage visualisation, conservation technologies, and how modern heritage can contribute to the development of future cities and cultural landscapes.
The programme goes beyond project funding by providing beneficiaries with a range of incentives and support tools, including individual support sessions throughout the research period, administrative and orientation sessions, midway presentations featuring regional and international experts, and specialised guidance from the Ministry of Culture’s Modern Heritage Technical Committee.
Beneficiaries will also receive letters of support from the Ministry, access to Zayed University’s physical and digital library resources, full coverage for the final exhibition of the projects, and the opportunity to participate in the Annual Modern Heritage Symposium.