A new programme supporting early-career visual artists.
Residency programme developed in collaboration with Jerwood Arts and defined to support three early-career visual artists over a period of 18-months.
The programme offers studio space in central London, a bursary and project budget to develop a new work to be presented in the Somerset House programme. In addition, artists will receive support and mentoring from the artist community along with wider Somerset House Studios residency benefits, all focused towards developing a sustainable professional practice for the long term.
WHAT THIS RESIDENCY INCLUDES
- £3,000 bursary per artist
- £3,000 project budget per artist to develop a new work
- Dedicated studio space for 18-months, shared by the three selected artists
- A mentor from the wider Somerset House Studios artist community
- £750 in-kind budget to experiment with in-house facilities such as our recording studio (unfacilitated), rehearsal studio, meeting rooms and project spaces
- Access to Makerversity workshops at significantly reduced artist rates
- Support from the Studios team to set goals and objectives for your practice
- Access to wider development and social programmes
- Final presentation of works in the Somerset House programme
- Support for reasonable adjustments to assist with access requirements
ELIGIBILITY
The opportunity is open to early-career visual artists within the first five years of their practice, with a focus on artists who are pushing bold ideas, engaging with urgent issues and pioneering new technologies. We particularly welcome applications from those making socially engaged, and inclusive work, activists and critical thinkers; the experimental; those interested in cross-disciplinary working and / or collaboration.
Artists must be UK based, over 18 and demonstrate that they meet the criteria of this opportunity. Artists should not be in formal education for the duration of the support (including part-time and post-graduate education). We are also interested in hearing from artists who have not progressed through formal art training routes.
Applicants must be able to:
- share a minimum of three examples of public presentation of their work
- outline an idea / work they would like to develop
- clearly demonstrate how their practice would benefit from the opportunity
Somerset House is committed to being actively anti-racist across all areas of our work, and ensuring all programmes are inclusive and representational, paying particular attention to those under-represented* in the culture sector. We are committed to embedding inclusion and representation into our overall selection.
*By under-represented we mean: People who are under-represented within the creative sector workforce and audiences, specifically in terms of: LGBTQIA+ and/or non-binary, having a migrant or refugee experience, from African Diaspora, from South, East and South East Asian diaspora, and/or ethnically diverse, neurodivergent, disabled, affected by a health condition or impairment, affected by homelessness, care-leaver, carer, unemployed and/or have received welfare benefits, working class and/or first in their immediate family to go to university.
Please read our Application Guidelines before submitting your application.
SELECTION
Selection will be by a panel including representatives from Somerset House as well as artists from the Studios community. Shortlisted artists will be invited to an interview with Somerset House Studios in December 2023 and the three selected artists will be confirmed following this.
RESIDENCY TIMELINE
- September 2023: Residency announced - applications open
- 25 October 2023: Application deadline
- December 2023: Artist interviews - opportunity offered
- April 2024– September 2025: 18-month residency commences
- September 2025: Public presentation of work by all three artists at Somerset House
HOW TO APPLY
Please see our Application Guidelines for details on access support including alternative formats and tailored support.
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on Wednesday 25 October 2023
The Jerwood Somerset House Studios Residencies are supported by the Jerwood Developing Artists Fund.
ABOUT JERWOOD ARTS
Jerwood Arts is the leading independent funder dedicated to supporting UK artists, curators and producers to develop and thrive. We enable transformative opportunities for individuals across art forms, supporting imaginative awards, bursaries, fellowships, projects, programmes and commissions. We are committed to supporting artistic freedom of expression and being as inclusive as possible across all our work. We present new work and bring people from across the arts together through our exhibitions and events at Jerwood Space, London, as well as across the UK and online. jerwoodarts.org
ABOUT SOMERSET HOUSE STUDIOS
Somerset House Studios is an experimental workspace in the centre of London connecting artists, makers and thinkers with audiences. Located inside the repurposed former Inland Revenue building, the Studios offer space and support to artists pushing bold ideas, engaging with urgent issues and pioneering new technologies. It is also a platform for the development of new creative projects and collaborations. Up to 70 artists are resident at any one time and are supported to develop their practice for a defined period.