Drawing Residencies in United Kingdom

Acme

London, United Kingdom

Acme Studios, established in 1972 and celebrating its 50th anniversary, is a London-based not-for-profit organization that provides affordable studios, work/live spaces, and a comprehensive artist support program. Acme supports over 800 artists across 15 buildings in Greater London annually. The organization offers a range of residency programs, including fully funded and subsidized opportunities tailored to artists at different career stages—from early-career to established practitioners. Acme’s residencies provide financial support, professional development, mentoring, and exhibition opportunities, all within a supportive artist peer community. Their flagship Fire Station Residency offers artists a five-year term to focus on their practice. Acme also engages in various partnerships that extend additional opportunities to resident artists.

Arcadia Sculpture Centre

Drymen, United Kingdom

Arcadia Sculpture Centre, nestled in the scenic Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park near Drymen, Scotland, offers a unique summer residency for visual and performance artists of all disciplines. This week-long residency provides artists with the opportunity to develop their practice, experiment with new ideas, and create site-specific installations within the Centre’s expansive indoor and outdoor spaces. Accommodation is provided in a custom-built artist’s cabin, and artists have access to a well-equipped studio space, materials, and tools.

ArtHouse Jersey

St Mary, United Kingdom

ArtHouse Jersey offers an inspiring residency program for artists from around the world, providing them with time, space, and resources to develop their practice in the tranquil and scenic surroundings of Jersey, located on the north coast at Greve de Lecq Barracks. The residency welcomes artists from all disciplines and encourages interdisciplinary collaboration with local artists, fostering creative exchanges that contribute to both the artists’ work and the cultural landscape of Jersey. The residency provides an immersive environment where artists can focus on their projects while drawing inspiration from the island’s natural beauty and rich artistic heritage. Notably, Jersey has a long history of attracting creatives like Victor Hugo and Claude Cahun. While the residency is typically invitation-only, artists interested in proposing a project or visit can reach out to ArtHouse Jersey’s Head of Programme to explore opportunities for collaboration. Residencies at ArtHouse Jersey frequently result in lasting relationships between the visiting artists and the local creative community, often leading to collaborative projects, exhibitions, and other forms of creative expression.

Awakenings at Wick

Langport, United Kingdom

Awakenings at Wick is a self-directed artist residency located in a small hamlet near Langport, Somerset, UK. It offers a unique environment where artists can live and work independently while being immersed in nature. The residency provides a range of indoor and outdoor creative spaces, including an art barn, a garage, a yoga shala, a shepherd’s hut, and 22 acres of fields, woodlands, and gardens. Artists are encouraged to shape their own creative experience, making use of both the natural landscape and shared indoor spaces. The residency does not offer traditional white-wall studios; instead, participants must define their own workspace. Accommodations include private rooms with shared or en-suite bathrooms, and residents must be self-sufficient in terms of food and daily needs. While students can apply, the residency is best suited for mature or postgraduate students. Awakenings at Wick fosters an environment for artists seeking solitude, inspiration from nature, and the freedom to experiment with their practice.

Beam

Chesterfield, United Kingdom

Beam, a cultural development organization based in Wakefield, North of England, offers a Socially Engaged Artist Residency in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. This residency aims to engage the community and visitors through creative participatory activities and animation, exploring unique and hidden stories about the town. The program runs for six months and provides an all-inclusive fee of £14,700 plus VAT. Beam supports artists with technical, administrative, and mediation assistance, offering a residency base in an empty shop in Chesterfield town center. The residency includes community engagement sessions, research, and creative outputs displayed in the town center. Beam emphasizes the importance of community involvement, cultural exchange, and the creation of high-quality public art.

Delfina Foundation

London, United Kingdom

The Delfina Foundation Residency Program, based in London, offers opportunities for artists, curators, and writers to develop their practice, explore connections, and build collaborations. Residencies, lasting up to three months, are largely thematic and support both emerging and established cultural practitioners. The Foundation hosts 6 to 8 residents simultaneously in its central London location, providing flexible living and working space. Residents engage with international peers and the public, fostering artistic exchange and professional development. The program has a strong focus on critical issues in contemporary art and has established relationships with the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia.

Draw to Perform (D2P)

Brighton, United Kingdom

The Draw to Perform (D2P) Residency Program in Brighton, UK, offers emerging and professional artists an intensive residency focused on drawing performance art. The program provides a 15-day immersive experience that includes one-on-one mentorship, workshops, studio visits, and artist talks. Residents participate in guided tours of art galleries in Brighton and London, culminating in a public live drawing performance. Led by renowned artist and curator Ram Samocha, the residency offers shared accommodation, studio space, and all necessary materials. Participants benefit from an environment designed to enhance their creative practice and engage with the vibrant local art scene, fostering both artistic growth and community connections.

GroundWork

King's Lynn, United Kingdom

GroundWork Gallery, located in King's Lynn, Norfolk, England, is a pioneering space dedicated to the intersection of contemporary art and environmental concerns. Established with a vision to showcase how art can influence our perception and interaction with the environment, the gallery hosts exhibitions and creative programs that explore the potential of art to address and reflect on global environmental issues. GroundWork Gallery operates both locally and globally, aiming to present art of global quality while connecting it to local environmental concerns. The gallery's programming is diverse, including all forms of visual arts and engaging with new environmental and ecological themes. Its semi-domestic space, arranged over two floors, provides a unique atmosphere for displaying art, creating varied experiences for visitors. GroundWork Gallery is committed to stimulating discussion and creativity around environmental subjects, offering events, talks, workshops, and community projects alongside its exhibitions. By fostering a network of artists, experts, and community members, GroundWork Gallery seeks to contribute to a broader understanding and action towards environmental sustainability.

Hugo Burge Foundation

Duns, United Kingdom

The Hugo Burge Foundation offers a variety of artist residencies throughout the year, located in the scenic Scottish Borders. These residencies cater to artists across all art forms, providing both funded and self-funded opportunities. The foundation's programs are designed to support the development of new and exciting works within its dedicated studios surrounded by an inspiring natural landscape. Each residency program, whether focusing on visual arts, botanical art, spoken word, or performance, offers artists a unique chance to immerse themselves in their craft while interacting with the local creative community and engaging in public events.

Krowji

Redruth (near Tehidy Country Park), United Kingdom

The Tehidy Creative Residency Programme is an initiative managed by Krowji, in partnership with Cornwall Council, designed to foster creative engagement with the natural environment of Tehidy Country Park in Cornwall, UK. This program offers up to four funded residencies for creative practitioners from various disciplines who are passionate about exploring the natural world and engaging diverse audiences. The residencies, which can last up to three months, provide free accommodation in a renovated estate worker’s cottage, complete with studio space and access to the surrounding woodland. While the residency does not provide a stipend or materials budget, it offers a unique setting to inspire creative outputs and the opportunity to contribute to the cultural and creative growth of Cornwall.

Ovada

Oxford, United Kingdom

OVADA, an artist-led center in Oxford, offers a Summer Residency, providing a stimulating environment for up to 10 creative practitioners to develop new work and ideas. The residency takes place in a transformed warehouse shared studio space, encouraging collaboration and learning among artists, curators, writers, and researchers at any career stage. With no expected outcomes, participants have the freedom to shape their residency experience, engage with the public through talks and events, or organize open studios and exhibitions.

PLOP

London, United Kingdom

PLOP Residency, established in 2018, is a vibrant artist residency located in the heart of East London, near Bethnal Green. Situated in the former Annka Kultys gallery space, PLOP has become a nurturing ground for over 65 international artists from 4 continents and 14 countries. At its core, PLOP is a community-driven initiative that offers a unique blend of studio space and mentorship, enriched by studio visits from esteemed industry professionals. Each month, the residency hosts 2 artists, providing them with free studio space to work collaboratively, culminating in a curated open studios event. PLOP underscores its commitment to artist development through annual open calls that welcome both artists and curators, fostering a diverse and dynamic creative environment. The residency’s creator, Oli Epp, and Residency Manager, Mollie Barnes, alongside an advisory panel comprising art critics, curators, and collectors, play pivotal roles in steering PLOP towards its mission of championing artist development and facilitating revolutionary residencies.

Residency 11:11

London, United Kingdom

Residency 11:11 in London offers a unique, one-month residency for art practitioners focusing on research and reflection. Set in the home of its founders, Alex Bell and Giulia Shah, the residency provides a supportive environment for exploring local artistic landscapes and engaging with diverse discourses. In collaboration with Iniva’s Stuart Hall Library, the residency emphasizes engagement with special collections and archival practices, particularly those centered on Global Majority, African, Asian, Caribbean, Polynesian, Latinx, and Diaspora perspectives. This program includes access to Iniva’s resources, a research budget, and opportunities for public engagement.

The Cut

Halesworth, United Kingdom

The Cut is a rural arts centre that offers a vibrant mix of theatre, music, art, dance, cinema, and educational programs. It operates a Summer Project Residency focusing on themes like Environment, Identity, Migration, and Sustainable Structures. The residency encourages exploration across various artistic approaches and supports participants with mentorship from established artists. The program concludes with an exhibition and the publication of a Summer Project publication. The residency aims to challenge artistic norms and foster community engagement through lectures, seminars, and public events. The Cut provides a supportive environment for creativity, experimentation, and the development of new ideas, emphasizing inclusivity and community involvement in the arts.

The NewBridge Project

Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

The NewBridge Project offers the Collective Studio, a development program for early-career creative practitioners. Open to international artists, this residency supports visual artists, filmmakers, photographers, designers, performers, writers, and other creative disciplines. The program includes workshops, mentoring, exhibitions, and social events, providing care, support, guidance, and space to test out ideas within a nurturing and critically engaged community. Artists gain access to affordable studio space, coworking areas, and a variety of member-led workshops. The residency emphasizes community engagement, peer support, and creative development. Applications are welcome from individuals worldwide, with various membership options available, including bursaries for those facing financial or social barriers.

The Old Lock Up Gallery

Cromford, United Kingdom

The Old Lock Up Gallery in Cromford, Derbyshire, offers week-long artist residencies approximately five times a year, providing a tranquil and inspiring environment for artists to develop their projects. The residencies cost £495 for 7 days and include overnight stays in the gallery owner’s home. Artists have 24/7 access to a well-equipped gallery space with lighting, a log-burning stove, a kitchenette, and a separate toilet. The gallery, situated near the Peak District National Park, offers a serene setting surrounded by beautiful countryside. Participants can enjoy the village amenities, including a grocery store, cafes, pubs, and a bookshop. The program emphasizes self-directed work, allowing artists to focus intensely on their projects. A fully funded residency is available for UK artists meeting specific financial criteria. The residency provides a unique opportunity for artists to engage with a new space and find inspiration from the natural surroundings.