Fine Arts

Fine Arts

Amba Sayal-Bennett, Lor, 2022.
Lara Smithson, Unnamed saint, 2022.
Barbara Walker, Marking the Moment 6, 2020-2022.

Fine Arts awards at the BSR offer artists at different stages of their careers the superb opportunity to research and focus on their work away from normal pressures, and to use the BSR as a base to explore Rome and Italy.

Awards include board and accommodation in one of our purpose-designed studios which include a mezzanine bedroom and en-suite bathroom.

 

The British School at Rome is pleased to announce this exciting opportunity for an exceptional, ambitious, and creative visual artist working in any media, at any career stage, to spend three months (April-June 2024) in Rome. We particularly welcome applications from candidates from groups currently underrepresented at the BSR (including, but not limited to, people from Black, Asian, and other minority ethnic backgrounds).

The fellowship offers:

∙ a grant of £1,500 per month
∙ a grant of £500 towards visa and travel costs
∙ board and accommodation in a residential studio at the BSR
∙ opportunities to participate in open studios
∙ full staff support, including with access to Italian collections and archives
∙ Weekly Italian language lessons on site
∙ 24/7 access to the BSR library
∙ Regular site visits, workshops, seminars, public events programme

To be eligible, applicants must be of British or Commonwealth nationality or have been working professionally (after having graduated) or studying at the postgraduate level for at least the last three years in the UK or Commonwealth (i.e., since November 2020).

More information on the application here.

Closing date for applications
Friday 17 November 2023: APPLY NOW

Opportunity

The Bridget Riley Fellowship is an exciting opportunity for an exceptional artist, at an early to mid point in their career, whose work has a significant drawing element, to spend six months in Rome.

Open to:
those of British nationality, and those who have been working professionally (after having graduated) or studying at postgraduate level for at least the last three years in the UK

Duration:
6 months

 

Offer:

  • grant of £1,500 per month

  • grant of £500 towards a short pre-residency visit to the BSR and/or visa expenses and/or shipment of work at the end of the residency

  • board and accommodation in a residential studio at the BSR

  • opportunities to collaborate with local artists and groups

How to apply:
For more information about the Scholarship, including general conditions and eligibility, click here

Applications must be submitted through our grant management platform

Closing date for applications
Monday 11 December 2023: APPLY NOW




Opportunity

The Sainsbury Scholarship is an exciting opportunity for an exceptional early-career artist (with under ten years of professional experience), working with any media, to spend six months in Rome. This opportunity is reserved for candidates from groups currently underrepresented at the BSR (including, but not limited to, people from Black, Asian, and other minority ethnic backgrounds).

Open to:

  • those of British nationality, and those who have been working professionally (after having graduated) or studying at postgraduate level for at least the last three years in the UK

  • those from minority ethnic groups.

Duration:
6 months

 

Offers:

  • grant of £1,500 per month

  • travel grant of £500

  • grant of £400 to assist with visa and transport of work costs

  • board and accommodation in a residential studio at the BSR

  • opportunities to collaborate with local artists and groups

How to apply:
For more information about the Scholarship, including general conditions and eligibility, click here

Applications must be submitted through our grant management platform

Closing date for applications
Monday 11 December 2023: APPLY NOW




Opportunity

The Creative Wales–British School at Rome Fellowship is a valuable opportunity for an artist at a significant juncture in their career (usually at early- to mid-career stage), who lives in Wales, to undertake a three-month residency in Rome. Applicants should be exceptional, ambitious and imaginative creative individuals, working across all media, including digital and film, performance and all fine arts practices.

Open to:

  • those resident in Wales

  • those at a significant juncture in their careers (usually early- to mid-career).

Duration:
3 months

 

Offer:

  • grant of £1,500 per month

  • grant of £500 towards a short pre-residency visit to the BSR

  • grant of £200 towards the transport of work back to Wales at the end of the residency

  • board and accommodation in a residential studio at the BSR

  • opportunities to collaborate with local artists and groups

How to apply:
For more information about the Scholarship, including general conditions and eligibility, click here

Applications must be submitted through our grant management platform

Closing date for applications
Monday 11 December 2023: APPLY NOW




Opportunity

The Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Research Residency is an exciting opportunity for an exceptional artist, to spend six weeks in Rome.

Open to:

The residency is open to artists working in all media of British or Commonwealth nationality and resident in Scotland

Offer:

  • A £1000 stipend to cover travel and other expenses

  • board and accommodation in a study bedroom at the BSR for six weeks (late September to early November 2024).

  • support provided by the BSR Visual Art Residency and Programme Curator and facilitated access to archives, sites, and museum collections not normally open to the public

  • Weekly Italian language lessons on site

  • 24/7 access to the BSR library

  • Regular site visits, workshops, seminars, public events programme

  • opportunities to collaborate with local artists and groups

 

How to apply:
For more information about the Scholarship, including general conditions and eligibility, click here

Applications must be submitted through our grant management platform

Closing date for applications
Monday 11 December 2023: APPLY NOW




Opportunity

Abbey Awards support residencies for painters at the British School at Rome. Abbey Fellowships are three-month residencies with a stipend of £1500 per month. The Abbey Scholarship is a nine-month residency with a stipend of £1000 per month. Three Fellows and one Scholar are selected annually.



 

Eligibility
Open to UK and US citizens and long-term residents (for a consecutive 5 of the last 10 years). There is no age limit.

How to apply
Applications for 2024-25 are now open here.
Deadline: 14 January 2024.

Opportunity

This is an exceptional opportunity for an artist based in the UK or the Republic of Ireland whose practice centres on the use of paint and/or drawing, to spend two months in a purpose-designed residential studio at the British School in Rome beginning in January 2025.

Open to:
Applicants must be resident in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland OR in the Republic of Ireland

 

Offer:

  • Board and accommodation in a residential studio at the BSR for two months

  • A monthly stipend of £1500 for two months

  • A travel grant of £500

  • Support provided by the BSR Visual Art Residency and Programme Curator

  • Facilitated access to archives, sites, and museum collections not normally open to the public

  • Weekly Italian language lessons on site

  • 24/7 access to the BSR library

  • Regular site visits, workshops, seminars, public events programme

  • Opportunities to collaborate with local artists and groups

How to apply:
For more information about the Scholarship, including general conditions and eligibility, click here

Applications must be submitted through our grant management platform

Closing date for applications
Friday 15 March 2024: APPLY NOW




 

Various other residencies are tenable at the BSR, but the competitions are administered by other organisations. Further information on these can be found be following the links below.

New Contemporaries Research Residency
Helpmann Academy Residency
Quebec Residency
Arts Council of Northern Ireland

 

 

In making an appointment to an award the Faculty of the Fine Arts will assess all applications using the following set of criteria:

∙ the quality of the applicant’s creative output and the appropriateness of their qualifications
∙ the extent to which the applicant’s proposal reflects the purpose of the award
∙ the viability of the proposal as a project to be carried out with support from the BSR.

 

In addition to these three basic selection criteria, the selectors will take into consideration the potential for the award to impact on the applicant’s creative development and will attempt to ensure that the needs and interests of the successful applicant are compatible with the facilities available at the BSR and the interests of its community.

Credit will be given to those who are no longer in full- or part-time education at the time of application.

Applications from those who have held a residency at the BSR in the previous two years (since March 2020) will not normally be considered.

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