Venice Fellowships Programme: Open Call For Fellows 2026

We are delighted to be a partner again on the British Council’s Venice Fellowship programme 2026, and to offer two artists from the Northwest the opportunity to spend a month in Venice during the world’s most important art and architecture biennales.

The Fellowships Programme is a key part of the British Council’s presence in Venice, supporting the exhibition programme as well as being a platform for the development of artists and creatives. The Fellowship offers a unique opportunity for early career artists to represent the UK on an international level whilst broadening their perspective, making connections and developing their creative practice.

You can find out more about our 2024 Venice Fellows here.
 
As exhibition ambassadors at the British Pavilion, the Fellows enrich and activate the exhibition programme. They engage visiting members of the public and expand the impact of the show. Alongside this practical residency, Fellows have the opportunity to develop their own research or practical creative projects and use the Biennale as a platform for artistic and professional development.

Full details are available from the Venice Fellowship Open Call.

What is the Venice Biennale?

From May to November, alternating between art and architecture, the Venice Biennale now attracts half a million visitors a year. A celebration of art and architecture, the Biennale explores themes of politics and contemporary cultural and social issues through performance, sculpture and installations. 
 
Read more about the Venice Biennale

2026 BRITISH PAVILION EXHIBITION

The world-renowned British artist, Lubaina Himid RA, CBE (b. 1954, Zanzibar), will represent Great Britain and deliver a major solo exhibition of new work at the British Pavilion.

Known for a pioneering practice which addresses themes of race, history, feminism, cultural memory and identity, Lubaina Himid frequently employs storytelling and historical research to challenge dominant Eurocentric narratives and highlight the overlooked contributions of Black figures in Western history.

Himid lives and works in Preston, UK, and is Emeritus Professor of Contemporary Art at the University of Central Lancashire. One of the pioneers of the Black British Art Movement, Himid curated several significant exhibitions in the 1980s and 1990s, such as Five Black Women (1983) at the Africa Centre, London and The Thin Black Line (1985) at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), London, both of which showcased the work of Black female artists in response to their exclusion from mainstream galleries. In 2017, Himid was awarded the Turner Prize and in 2018 she received the honorary title of CBE for her contributions to the arts. 

2026 Venice Fellowships Programme

Each Fellow will receive a Travel Grant of £3,300 (three thousand and three hundred British pounds).

The Fellowships Programme has two major components:

1. Exhibition ambassador: Fellows will participate in a one-month group residency inside the British Pavilion: invigilating the exhibition spaces, engaging with the public, leading tours and acting as the face of the British Council and its exhibition commission. Time commitment for invigilation is 23h per week during the period of one month.
2. Research or creative project: Fellows undertake fieldwork in Venice to inform their creative practice, research and/or academic interests. This fieldwork should be connected to the themes of Venice, La Biennale, the 61 International Art Exhibition, the British Pavilion and/or the 2026 commissioned exhibition (Lubaina Himid).

Previous project examples can be found in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 Yearbooks.

Successful applicants will receive training from the British Council prior to beginning their Fellowship. This will include participating in 15 hours of compulsory online training and collaborative workshops to learn more about Venice, La Biennale and the British Pavilion exhibition. The training will also provide a chance to network and meet other Fellows with whom you will be working during your time in Venice.

Lowry's Artist Development team will support selected Fellows in the planning and development of their project/research before, during, and after their Venice residency, to co-develop a clear vision and plan for how fellows will bring back their project/research findings to their peers and UK community groups. Fellows will be recognised as Lowry supported artists for the duration of their Fellowship and will be invited to participate in a public event to share their findings and discuss their experiences.

Information Session with Lowry’s 2024 Fellows on 6 Nov 2025

Watch the recorded webinar featuring Fellows Isabella So and Amy Townsend-Lowcock who shared their experiences on the programme.

Transcript

Timeline

• 19 November, 12:00-13:00 BST: British Council’s online information and Q&A session for applicants Register here
• 1 December 2025, 12noon: Deadline for applications to the Fellowships programme. Please note that we will not be able to accept any late applications. Please allow  plenty of time to prepare and submit your application, making sure you send   your completed application form to the correct email address well before the deadline.
• January 2026: Candidates notified of application outcome
• March to April 2026: Induction School Training. Candidates must commit to and attend in full all of the online training dates: 18 March, 25 March, 01 April, 08 April, 15 April and 22 April 2026, from 6:30pm – 8:15pm UK time on Teams/Zoom.
• May to November 2026: Candidates must be available to travel and live in Venice for a full month period (30 days). The designated period will be confirmed after the final selection of fellows. 

Apply to be a 2026 Fellow

• Candidates must be over 18 years old and based in the Northwest of England
• Candidates must demonstrate an interest in working with Lowry
• Candidates must commit to and attend in full all the Induction School Training dates: 28 February, 18 March, 25 March, 01 April, 08 April, 15 April and 22 April 2026, from 6:30pm – 8:15pm UK time on Teams/Zoom.
• Candidates must be able to manage, handle and book all the requirements for their own trip to Venice (including travel and finding accommodation), as well as develop their project/research.
• Candidates must be available to travel and live in Venice for a full month period (30 days) from May to November 2026. The designated period will be confirmed after final selection.
• Candidates must demonstrate experience, confidence and interest in working with people from diverse backgrounds and have (emerging) confidence in engaging with audiences, for example, through public speaking and presenting.
• Candidates should have an idea of a potential project or research proposal connected to the Programme values, as well as with the 2026 La Biennale/British Pavilion theme, including racial injustice, colonial legacies, feminism, cultural memory and identity, to be developed while in Venice and back to the UK.

We welcome creative individuals from all backgrounds, areas of knowledge and we particularly welcome applications from underrepresented groups in the creative sector, including those from the following: global ethnic majority, disabled, LGBTQIA+, and those facing social barriers to accessing the arts, the creative industries and other economic opportunities.

Application Process

• Read the Venice Fellowship Application Guidance Notes which contains a link to the application form template.
• Download and complete the application form
• Send a copy of your CV with your completed application form to: artistdevelopment@thelowry.com with the Subject Title: VENICE FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAMME 2026 - [YOUR NAME]

Application Deadline

The deadline for applications is 1 December 2025, 12noon

Selection Process

A panel led by Lowry’s Artist Development team will review all applications against the questions in the application form. Up to ten applicants will be shortlisted and put forward to the British Council for final selection.

All applicants will be informed as to whether or not their application was shortlisted by the Lowry.

The British Council will then review the shortlisted applications and notify the final candidates in early January 2026. A virtual interview with candidates may be required. 

Please read the Venice Fellowship Open Call and the Venice Fellowship Application Guidance Notes for detailed information about the programme and to download the application form. General information about the Venice Fellowship is available on the British Council’s website.