Satyam Kalon PhD Fund

Introduction

Trinity Laban is accepting applications for a new PhD fund in partnership with the Satyam Kalon Programme. The Programme is a ground-breaking collaboration between academics, artists and students from leading arts institutions in India, the United Kingdom and the United States. It involves a multidisciplinary team of art historians, dancers, musicians and philosophers drawn from Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts in Bangalore, Columbia University in New York, KM Music Conservatory in Chennai, Shiv Nadar University in Delhi and Trinity Laban in London. This international team will work together to explore the interactions between dance, music and visual art in a transnational context, focussing on philosophy as well as theory and practice. 

Funding and Eligibility

Three Satyam Kalon Programme PhD awards are available to applicants in PhD Creative Practice Music, PhD Creative Practice Dance and PhD Music/ Art History for January 2026 entry:

• Successful applicants will receive £30,000 funding (£7,500 per year for a maximum of 4 years).
• Funds will be used towards the cost of annual tuition fees.
• If tuition fees are covered by another source (such as student loans), the funds can be used as a stipend towards living expenses.
• Successful applicants will be eligible for a Travel Bursary to fund a research trip to India to support their studies during the 2026/27 academic year. 

Eligibility

• To enrol in January 2026 (applications will also be considered for deferred entry in September 2026).
• To enrol in Full-Time study on the Research Degree Programme.
• Available for Home or International students.

Deadline for Applications:

• 31 October 2025 via UCAS/Embark (please note this is a deadline extension for applicants to the Satyam Kalon PhD Fund; the standard application deadline for January 2026 entry is 1 October 2025).

Research Context

PhD proposals must focus on the interactions and parallels between Indian and Western artforms and explore the intersection of Western and Indian theory and practice. The research candidates will support the spirit of international collaboration in the research programme and demonstrate this through their work. For the PhDs in Creative Practice, we are inviting applications from composers, performers, choreographers or dance artists; applications will only be considered from active practitioners in music and dance. For the PhD Music/ Art History award we are inviting applications from students with an academic background in art history and/or music, as this award will lead to a text-only PhD submission.

Full details of the Trinity Laban Research Degree Programme can be found at: https://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/courses/research-degree-programme/ 

Full details of the Research Department at Trinity Laban can be found at: https://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/research-and-knowledge-exchange/   

Selection and Application

Students should consult the ‘Guidance for Applicants’ document, and then submit applications via the UCAS/Embark – documentation and application links can be found on our website: https://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/courses/research-degree-programme/.

Applications for the PhD Music/ Art History should apply via the Collaborative Arts pathway on UCAS.

Research Proposals of ca. 1,500 words that address the above research context should be uploaded to Embark, together with an annotated bibliography and other specified application information. Priority will be given in assessment to excellent research proposals that a) describe novel potential projects that address the stated research context and b) match closely to Trinity Laban (and other) supervisory specialisms.

Supervision and Seminars 

Successful applicants will be assigned two supervisors comprised from internal Trinity Laban faculty and specially selected external supervisors with expertise within the stated research context. Currently confirmed supervisors for the programme are: Prof Jonathan Clark (Head of Research and Knowledge Exchange, Trinity Laban); Dr Naomi Lefebvre Sell (Associate Director - Dance, Trinity Laban); Prof Ann R. David (Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of Bonn); Dr Charlotte de Mille (The Courtauld Institute of Art).

The Satyam Kalon programme will present a vibrant and innovative seminar series in London, Dehli and online, delivered by leading academics covering philosophy, creative practice, ethnomusicology and art history, which will form an integral part of the study experience for students on the programme.  

Further Information

Interested applicants are encouraged to direct any enquiries prior to application to: RDPAdmissions@trinitylaban.ac.uk.

Advert information