Funding hybrid knowledge : early music studies between EU cultural and scientific policy

Abstract

Early Music makes fundamental contributions to society and cultural identity, from mass media to tourist sites, from annual festivals to national heritage projects. Yet Early Music research often has difficulty conforming to institutional and policybased categories and definitions at a European level, typically being divided between two major policy domains: science & research, represented by Horizon Europe; and arts & culture, likewise represented by Creative Europe. This article investigates the extent to which Early Music researchers have engaged with European funds in the current Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021–2027 and assesses the challenges and opportunities facing the field in terms of its situation within a broader policy landscape. The article proceeds in three stages. First, it maps the principal European funding frameworks relevant to Early Music research and assesses the extent to which the field has engaged with these opportunities under the current MFF. Second, it cites data collected from survey responses, stakeholder interviews, correspondence and institutional perspectives in order to identify recurring experiences, structural barriers and strategic adaptations within the current policy and funding frameworks. Finally, it discusses the larger implications of these findings for cultural policy, interdisciplinarity and the future positioning of Early Music within European policy.