Photography 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.

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.

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.

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.

Rhodes Trust

Oxford, United Kingdom

The Rhodes Art for Global Impact Residency is an international program hosted by the prestigious Rhodes Trust. The residency seeks to support artists whose practices are rooted in social justice and addressing some of the most pressing global challenges. Through collaboration with the Rhodes Scholar community, artists are provided an opportunity for intellectual exchange and creative development. The program culminates in a public exhibition at Rhodes House in Oxford, fostering dialogue around contemporary issues through art. The residency runs annually, alternating between open applications from the public and selections from within the Rhodes Scholar network. Artists working in diverse media, including painting, sculpture, mixed media, and photography, are encouraged to apply, with an emphasis on themes of social impact. Financial support and logistical resources are provided to help artists engage fully with the community and produce impactful works.

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 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.