The British Society Of Aesthetics

Quick Stats

• Annual Income: £194,245 (2024)
• Grant Range: £800 - £33,000 (depending on program)
• Decision Time: 6-8 weeks (most programs)
• Geographic Focus: UK/Europe for events; UK-based researchers for individual awards
• Application Method: Mixed (rolling and fixed deadlines)

Contact Details

Website: www.british-aesthetics.org

Email: admin@british-aesthetics.org

Phone: 01614283995

Postal Address: PO Box 271, Cheadle SK8 9BU

Management: Caroline Auty and Alice Dickinson (Managers)

Overview

Founded in 1960 by Herbert Read, The British Society of Aesthetics (BSA) is the UK's leading learned society dedicated to promoting study, research, and discussion of the fine arts and related experiences from philosophical, psychological, sociological, historical, critical, and educational standpoints. With an annual income of approximately £194,000, the BSA supports the field through publication of the prestigious British Journal of Aesthetics, organization of an annual conference at St Anne's College, Oxford, and a comprehensive portfolio of grants and awards. The Society offers diverse funding streams ranging from £800 travel stipends to a £33,000 per annum postdoctoral fellowship, supporting individuals and events that advance philosophical aesthetics and interdisciplinary dialogue about the arts.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Grants (£800 - £4,000, fixed deadlines)

• Amount: Up to £4,000 per grant; several awarded annually
• Deadlines: 1 April (decision mid-May) and 1 October (decision mid-November)
• For: Conferences, workshops, lecture series, podcasts, videos
• Application: Online form via website

BSA Connections (£10,000, biennial)

• Amount: Up to £10,000
• Runs: Even years only (next deadline: 19 January 2026)
• For: Conferences enhancing dialogue between aesthetics and other areas of philosophy
• Application: 2,200-word proposal to admin@british-aesthetics.org

Travel Stipends (£800, rolling)

• Amount: Up to £800 per year per student
• Deadline: Rolling (must apply before event)
• For: Postgraduate students and early career researchers attending conferences or research visits
• Application: Rolling basis

Postdoctoral Award (£30,000-£33,000, annual)

• Amount: £30,000 per annum plus up to £3,000 geographical allowance
• Duration: Two years
• Deadline: 31 May 2025 (for Autumn 2025 start)
• For: Postdoctoral research in aesthetics or philosophy of art at any UK philosophy department
• Application: CV, 1,000-word proposal, 8,000-word writing sample, covering letter

Essay Prize (£1,500, biennial)

• Amount: £1,500 plus opportunity to present at annual conference
• Deadline: Next competition 16 March 2026
• For: Early-career researchers submitting unpublished essays (max 7,500 words)
• Winner normally published in British Journal of Aesthetics

New Horizons Award (£500 + £1,000, annual)

• Amount: £500 honorarium plus up to £1,000 travel grant
• Deadline: Aligned with annual conference paper submission
• For: Best papers by members of underrepresented groups (excluding women as a category)
• Eligibility: Postgraduate students or early career researchers (PhD within 7 years or not in permanent employment)

Priority Areas

The BSA funds activities that:

• Advance philosophical aesthetics and philosophy of art
• Include a philosophical component (required for small grants)
• Foster interdisciplinary dialogue between aesthetics and other fields
• Support conferences, workshops, and lecture series in the UK and Europe
• Promote diversity and inclusion in the field
• Create accessible resources (podcasts, videos, open-access events)
• Enhance dialogue between analytic philosophers and historians, theorists, critics, or practitioners of the arts

What They Don't Fund

• Events outside UK/Europe (for small grants and BSA Connections)
• Activities without a philosophical component
• Events that have already taken place (retrospective applications not accepted)
• Subsistence costs beyond travel, accommodation, and conference fees
• Multiple travel stipends exceeding £800 per student per year
• Applicants who are not current, paid-up BSA members (for most programs)

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Governance and Leadership

Current Officers (3-year terms)

• President: Hans Maes (Leuven)
• Vice-President: Dawn Wilson (Hull)
• Treasurer: Lisa Jones (St Andrews)

Trustees Committee Members

Adriana Clavel-Vazquez (Tilburg), Daisy Dixon (Cardiff), Alice Helliwell (Northeastern University London), Clare Mac Cumhaill (Durham), Panos Paris (Cardiff), Karen Simecek (Warwick), Vid Simoniti (Liverpool), Maarten Steenhagen (Uppsala), Mark Windsor (Uppsala)

Appointed Sub-committee Members

• Rebecca Bamford (Belfast) - Equity & Diversity Committee
• David Collins (Cambridge) - Grants Committee
• Daniel Whiting (Southampton) - Postdoctoral Award Committee

The BSA is run by a Trustees Committee elected by Society membership. Trustees elect three Officers whose appointments are ratified at the Annual General Meeting. Sub-committees oversee specific areas including Conference, Grants, Postdoctoral Award, Equity and Diversity, and (biennially) Essay Prize.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Small Grants

1. Download latest Guidelines document from website
2. Complete online application form
3. Include BSA membership number (applications without will be rejected)
4. Optional: Submit budget spreadsheet via email
5. Deadlines: 1 April or 1 October
6. Decisions: Mid-May or mid-November

BSA Connections

1. Submit to admin@british-aesthetics.org
2. Deadline: 19 January (even years only)
3. Decision: End of February

Travel Stipends

1. Obtain acceptance of paper or confirmation of research visit
2. Apply via website with 200-word explanation of contribution to BSA aims
3. Submit before event (retrospective applications not accepted)
4. Rolling deadline

Postdoctoral Award

1. Deadline: 31 May
2. Must have completed PhD before award start
3. Preference for applicants within 5 years of PhD completion

Essay Prize

1. Submit unpublished essay (max 7,500 words including footnotes and bibliography)
2. Must be in English
3. Not currently under consideration elsewhere
4. Deadline: 16 March (biennial competition)

New Horizons Award

1. Submit conference paper anonymously for annual conference
2. Include eligibility details in covering email
3. Must be member of underrepresented group (BAME, disabled, trans/non-binary, low socioeconomic status, first-generation university)

Decision Timeline

• Small Grants: 6 weeks (mid-May for April deadline; mid-November for October deadline)
• BSA Connections: 6 weeks (end of February for January deadline)
• Travel Stipends: Variable (rolling basis)
• Postdoctoral Award: Approximately 8-10 weeks after May deadline
• Essay Prize: Announced before annual conference (typically summer)

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly available. However:

• Small Grants: “Several” awarded each year (suggests competitive)
• BSA Connections: One conference funded biennially (highly competitive)
• Postdoctoral Award: One two-year fellowship awarded annually (highly competitive)
• New Horizons Award: Up to two awarded annually
• Travel Stipends: Priority given to first-time applicants

Reapplication Policy

Travel Stipends: Priority given to applicants who have not previously received an award. Applicants are limited to £800 per year.

For other programs, no specific restrictions on reapplication are mentioned, though applicants should apply to other funding sources where available and must use those if successful in both applications.

Application Success Factors

Membership is Mandatory: Applicants must be current, paid-up BSA members for most funding streams. Small grant applications without membership numbers are automatically rejected. Join before applying.

Read Guidelines Carefully: The BSA explicitly states that applications not conforming to requirements will be rejected. Download the latest Guidelines document for each program before applying.

Demonstrate Philosophical Component: Small grants require events to include a philosophical component. Clearly articulate how your activity advances philosophical aesthetics or philosophy of art.

Prioritize Accessibility and Diversity: The BSA strongly prefers to sponsor events that are “open and free to all.” If charging registration fees, provide robust justification. Applications should demonstrate commitment to diversity, particularly encouraging participation from underrepresented groups.

Geographic Requirements: Small grants and BSA Connections require events to be held in the UK or Europe (UK only for BSA Connections). Ensure your event meets location criteria.

Prove Your Capability: For applications involving outputs (films, podcasts), provide proof of past experience to assure quality of final product.

Apply to Multiple Sources: For travel stipends and other individual awards, applicants should apply to other funding sources where available. The BSA expects applicants to exhaust other options first.

Recent Examples of Funded Work:

• Postdoctoral Fellowship: Christopher Earley's “Artistic Exceptionalism and the Normativity of Contemporary Art” (2023-2025)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship: Claire Anscomb's “Creating Images with AI” (2021-2022)
• New Horizons Award: Zeynep Çelik's “Collective Authorship in Theatrical Works: A Hierarchical Account” (2025)
• Essay Prize: Aviv Reiter's “Kant on the aesthetic ideas of beautiful nature” (2020)

For Postdoctoral Award: Highlight how your research complements your proposed host department's work. Include strong covering letter explaining institutional fit. Members of underrepresented groups in philosophy are strongly encouraged to apply.

For BSA Connections: Ensure majority of papers come from philosophers without primary aesthetics focus, while maintaining at least one-third from aesthetics specialists. Demonstrate genuine interdisciplinary dialogue.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Membership First: Join the BSA before applying (£35 standard, £20 students/seniors). Applications without membership numbers are automatically rejected.

• Follow Guidelines Precisely: The BSA has a low tolerance for non-conforming applications. Download latest guidelines and follow every requirement exactly.

• Open Access Preferred: The BSA strongly favors events that are free and open to all. If you must charge fees, provide compelling justification.

• Philosophical Grounding Essential: All funded activities must have a clear philosophical component, particularly for small grants. Articulate your philosophical contribution explicitly.

• Plan Around Deadlines: Most programs have fixed deadlines (April and October for small grants; January for BSA Connections). Travel stipends are rolling but must be submitted before the event.

• Early Career Focus: The BSA particularly supports postgraduate students and early career researchers through travel stipends, essay prizes, and dedicated awards for underrepresented groups.

• Diversity Matters: Applications demonstrating commitment to equity and diversity, particularly for underrepresented groups in philosophy, align with BSA's strategic priorities and should be highlighted.

References

• British Society of Aesthetics official website: https://british-aesthetics.org/
• BSA Small Grants page: https://british-aesthetics.org/portfolio/small-grants/
• BSA Connections page: https://british-aesthetics.org/portfolio/bsa-connections/
• Postdoctoral Award details: https://british-aesthetics.org/portfolio/postdoctoral-award/
• Travel Stipends information: https://british-aesthetics.org/portfolio/travel-stipends/
• About the Society: https://british-aesthetics.org/about-the-society/
• Charity Commission Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?subid=0&regid=1129985
• BSA Essay Prize: https://british-aesthetics.org/bsa-essay-prize/
• New Horizons Award: https://british-aesthetics.org/new-horizons-award/
• BSA New Horizons Award Winners 2025: https://british-aesthetics.org/bsa-new-horizons-award-winners-2025/