Are you a researcher or practitioner of the musical on stage and screen, interested in working with Overtures: The Bunnett-Muir Musical Theatre Archive and the V&A’s Theatre and Performance Collections? Are you about to begin a new research project, or would you like to move your current project or even production to the next stage? Then this opportunity might be for you!
The V&A and Bunnett-Muir Musical Theatre Archive Trust is delighted to announce a new collaboration which sees the establishment of annual research grants of up to £1,000 and fellowships of up to £10,000, generously funded by Bunnett-Muir Musical Theatre Archive Trust.
In 2018, the Bunnett-Muir Musical Theatre Archive Trust donated its world-leading collection of musical theatre vinyl, scores and libretti to the V&A to form Overtures: The Bunnett-Muir Musical Theatre Archive. The collection demonstrates the breadth of musical theatre history and includes many landmark recordings, such as a copy of the 1943 recording “Selections from the Theatre Guild Musical Play Oklahoma!” which is considered the first Broadway original cast recording. In 2022, the Bunnett-Muir Musical Theatre Archive inspired and was showcased in the V&A’s Re:Imagining Musicals exhibition as the museum explored how some of the best-loved musicals have been adapted, revived, and retold over time.
The new collaboration provides the opportunity for researchers and practitioners of the musical on stage and screen to undertake research with the Bunnett-Muir Musical Theatre Archive and the V&A’s Theatre and Performance collections to scope, advance or complete a project.
In addition to the wealth of musical theatre history in the Bunnett-Muir Musical Theatre Archive, the V&A’s National Collection of Performing Arts has a rich collection of musical theatre programmes, posters, photographs, books, costumes, designs and archives of performers, creatives, companies and theatres, which will be available to researchers alongside recordings of musicals staged in the UK from 1992 to present as part of the museum’s National Video Archive of Performance.
The V&A and Bunnett-Muir Musical Theatre Archive Trust invite research proposals on all aspects of the musical on stage and screen, and particularly welcome proposals focusing on the British musical and/or the musical in the UK.
Timetable
Applications open on 9 June 2025 with a deadline for submissions of 1 July 2025. All applicants will be informed of their proposal’s outcome by 1 August 2025.
Grant Recipients and Fellows will be able to commence research in the summer of 2025 following the opening of the V&A’s new research and storage centre V&A East Storehouse in Stratford, East London on 31 May 2025. Project timelies will be discussed with successful applicants to ensure Grant Recipients and Fellows can be appropriately supported.
Levels of support
The following three levels of support are available:
- Grants of up to £1,000
- Fellowships – Standard: £1,000 – £5,000 and Major: £5,000 – £10,000
Eligible costs to be funded by Grants include travel, accommodation and subsistence to consult archives at the V&A’s premises, as well as any image reproduction costs.
Applications will be reviewed according to the following criteria:
- Strategic fit: the proposal aligns well with the BMT’s priorities to further scholarship, research and practice in musical theatre and film, with a particular priority for the British musical on stage and screen, and the musical in the UK
- Quality: the proposal is clearly articulated, convincingly planned and outlines an explicit plan for dissemination
- Feasibility: the proposal is feasible in terms of scope, programme of activity and resources, and takes into account internal V&A dependencies, including staff capacity and access to materials
Application process
Applicants should fill in an application form, outlining their research proposal including its motivations, timeline, budget and outcomes. Applicants should explicitly identify which collections and/or items they intend to consult and explain why. It is advised to include museum and archive reference numbers, which will often start with an S. for objects and either BMT/ or THM/ for archival material in Overtures: The Bunnett-Muir Musical Theatre Archive and the V&A’s Theatre and Performance Archive.
Information about the V&A’s object collection (including posters, costumes, designs, etc) can be found through Explore the Collections · V&A. Details of the museum’s archive collections can be found at Theatre & Performance Archives · V&A.
Proposals that include public engagement (talks, informal articles) alongside the project’s main output (which could include books, articles, documentaries, productions, exhibitions, etc) are particularly welcome. Researchers will be expected to share their research with the V&A, such as through an informal research seminar and/or by contributing to the V&A blog or catalogue records. Please note that the V&A cannot commit to hosting any public events at this stage.
All Researchers will be required to submit a report of 500 words about their research project upon completion.
Informal enquiries and requests for an application form may be directed to Professor Dominic Broomfield-McHugh, Academic Trustee, Bunnett-Muir Musical Theatre Archive Trust, at: d.broomfield-mchugh@sheffield.ac.uk
