Performance Residencies in United Kingdom

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.

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.

Factory

Manchester, United Kingdom

Factory International Fellowship is a unique opportunity for six artists based in the North of England to scale up their ambition through gaining insight into how Factory International makes work at Aviva Studios and for Manchester International Festival (MIF25). The Fellowship supports artists at a transitional stage in their career to stretch their practice in different directions. This bespoke programme allows Fellows to explore their practice in the world-class Aviva Studios building with new commissions and international artists making work at scale. Fellows receive mentoring opportunities, coaching, observational placements, peer-to-peer learning and access to Factory International staff and creative teams as well as monthly meetings with Creative Director Low Kee Hong. The programme builds on previous successful programmes – MIF Jerwood/Creative Fellows and Factory Fellows – which have supported 30 artists/creatives from the region since 2017 thanks to the initial support of the Jerwood Foundation. Fellows shadow the making of Factory International commissions over a nine-month period including access to MIF25 commissions, developing professional experience and knowledge of different art forms or different scales of work.

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.

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.

Sarabande Foundation

London, United Kingdom

Sarabande Foundation, established by Lee Alexander McQueen in 2006, is a charitable foundation in London that supports creatively fearless artists and designers. It offers heavily subsidized studio spaces ranging from 50 to 350 sq. ft. at £1 per sq. ft. per month, including utilities and access to communal spaces and equipment. The foundation also provides business mentoring, pro-bono support from experts, and networking opportunities. Sarabande nurtures artists from various disciplines, including sculptors, fashion designers, jewellers, textile designers, painters, performance artists, and more. The residency program emphasizes community and collaboration, providing a robust platform for artists to develop their craft and connect with leading industry professionals.

Tenderground

London, United Kingdom

Tenderground is an arts strategy and commissioning program for the almshouses of Southwark Charities, aimed at embedding art and culture into the daily lives of the residents. This innovative and ambitious program is designed to enhance community life, support change, and activate the new almshouse building on Blackfriars Road, London. Directed by Laura Wilson and Clare Cumberlidge & Co, and supported by Southwark Charities, Tenderground explores methods to integrate art and culture deeply into the community. The residency provides opportunities for artists to engage with residents, creating projects that foster community building and enrich the living environment. Tenderground focuses on the collaborative potential of art to influence daily life positively and to assist in the transitional processes associated with the new development.

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.