The Creativity Lab
Grants up to $1,500
The Creativity Lab (C-Lab), a joint effort conceived and funded through a collaboration between the University of Michigan Arts Initiative and the Office of the Vice President of Research, is a research development program designed to stimulate new work in arts research/creative practice. The one-week summer laboratory program will also contribute to the building of arts research cohorts among a wide variety of faculty. Applications are particularly encouraged from faculty members working in creative practice and interdisciplinary faculty teams building arts-centered projects.
Approximately 12–15 faculty members will be selected as fellows for the 2025 C-lab, with at least six fellow positions reserved to support interdisciplinary teams. (Teams can be represented by up to three members, with the team submitting one application.)
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Upon successful completion of the five-day lab, each fellow, including each team member, will receive $1,500 in discretionary funds toward advancing their research project towards future grant applications.
Successful completion requires participating in the Lab each day from May 12–16 from 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
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Spring 2025 [closed]
Selection Notification →February 28, 2025
C-Lab Dates → May 12–16 from 9 a.m.–5 p.m
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U-M faculty on any campus (Ann Arbor, Dearborn, or Flint) who are designated PI-eligible at the time of application are eligible to apply as individuals or as the leader of a team.
Applicants for individual fellowships must be U-M faculty with a research appointment (tenured, tenure track, research, or clinical professors).
Applications from teams must include at least two members with research appointments, although only one—the PI—must be PI-eligible. The third member of the team can be a U-M faculty member, graduate student, or staff member, or, where appropriate, a community
partner. All team members must be available for the entire weeklong program.
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Statement of Plans and Related Questions (series of questions with word-limited text boxes for response)
Abbreviated (3-page) cv for each applicant (including each team member, if applicable)
Signed statement (from each team member, if applicable) acknowledging full-week participation is required
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Successful applicants will:
Describe a new project (or new phase of a project) that the applicant(s) would launch through participation in C-Lab,
Describe a practice, method, or research question related to the project the applicant(s) would like to experiment with in a group setting; and
Demonstrate interest in supporting others’ arts research, and commit to full participation in the C-Lab during May 2025 sessions.
Review Criteria
Imagination and creativity of proposed project in the project’s research question, methods, or both
How participation in the Lab in May 2025 will catalyze the project’s launch or new phase
Where applicable, interdisciplinary range in applicant team.
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The 2025 C-lab is co-sponsored by the Department of Robotics. At least four positions in C-lab will be reserved for teams led by that include Robotics faculty.
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For questions related to this call for proposals, and for troubleshooting questions related to the InfoReady Review submission portal, please contact triciamc@umich.edu.