As of December 2024, Ukraine had registered 1.2 million veterans. Upon discharge, veterans face the challenge of reintegrating into civilian life, including securing employment or returning to their previous professions. Veterans with backgrounds in the cultural and academic sectors often encounter unique difficulties when returning to their careers while transforming their military experience into a professional advantage. 

A study published in the Journal of Disability Policy Studies in 2025 shows that Ukrainian veterans face difficulties in finding employment due to the challenges of adapting to civilian life, limited opportunities for retraining and employer bias. Yet the successful integration of veterans into society is a crucial precondition for Ukraine’s social cohesion and continued resilience in the face of unprecedented wartime challenges.

The INDEX Veteran Programme aims to enhance the professional reintegration of veterans by developing their skills and increasing their employability within the cultural and creative industries. The programme supports veterans in building professional networks, gaining mentorship from established cultural figures, and creating tangible cultural products. 

INDEX has launched its Veteran Programme to support former service members with backgrounds in academia and culture, not only in reviving their careers but also in shaping the framework through which Russia’s war against Ukraine is being understood and remembered. We firmly believe in the unique value of documenting the experiences of those who have risked their lives to defend Ukraine from Russia’s aggression.

What is included in the Programme? (2026 opencall)

• A stipend of $1,200 USD (in UAH equivalent).
• Accommodation in a centrally located flat in Lviv.
• Access to office space at INDEX (Fellows’ room).
• Psychological support if desired.
• Engage with the media, host a public event to present the results of their work, or lead an internal seminar with experts from the INDEX community.
• Participation in study visits to cultural institutions and meetings with key stakeholders.
• Mentorship from leading Ukrainian cultural practitioners.

Two selected participants and three shortlisted applicants will also participate in INDEX's Creative Nonfiction Writing School in November 2026.

Public event format: INDEX manages the logistics of public discussions, interviews, presentations, readings, or other event formats suitable for the Resident's project. Leveraging our extensive cultural and academic network, we can also provide conceptual support for the event: identifying and inviting speakers or a moderator, helping to define the target audience, and assisting in shaping the focus of the discussion.

Internal seminar: This session takes the form of an internal peer-review roundtable, modelled on an academic seminar. During the seminar, the Resident has the opportunity to present their findings, receive feedback from colleagues, or seek advice on the future direction of their project. In internal seminars, we discuss both work in its final stages of proofing or approval and initial materials requiring substantial development. To ensure the feedback is as useful as possible, we invite specialists from relevant fields— recognised local academics, researchers, or artists — to act as discussants, providing detailed feedback and leading a Q&A session.

Scholars + Veterans Collaboration Model

The Veteran programme runs alongside INDEX’s Scholars in Residence Programme, fostering collaboration between international researchers and Ukrainian veterans working on projects about their combat experience. This partnership grounds academic and media work in lived reality while connecting veterans with global scholarly networks. It’s a two-way exchange when international participants gain insights unavailable in archives, and veterans learn new methods to strengthen the impact of their stories.

Who can apply?

This opportunity is open to veterans of Ukraine’s Armed Forces who:

• Can demonstrate work experience in the cultural or academic sector;
• Have a clear interest in returning to or further developing their creative or academic practice;
• Propose a feasible and relevant cultural project to be developed during the participation in the programme;
• Are private entrepreneurs (registered as 'FOP' in Ukraine).

Feedback

Contacts

Should you have any additional questions, please contact the Veteran programme curator Vladyslav Starodubtsev at veterans@index-ukraine.org.

Selection Committee for 2026 opencall

• Yurii Vovkogon, cultural manager, installation artist, writer, veteran and project manager at YMCA Lviv.
• Alona Karavai, curator, essayist, cultural manager and co-founder of Insha Osvita and the VILNO reintegration programme.
• Lyana Mytsko, cultural studies expert, founder and director of the Lviv Municipal Art Center and the Urban Mobility Center.
• Sasha Dovzhyk, head of INDEX, writer and editor of London Ukrainian Review.
• Olesya Yaremchuk, programmes curator at INDEX, writer, journalist and editor.

The Programme is part of a project supported by Razom for Ukraine.