Stanley Picker Fellowships 2026: £16,000 + Access to Kingston’s Workshops – Deadline 29 June

For over two decades, the Stanley Picker Fellowships have enabled artists and designers to dream beyond their usual constraints. Now the 2026 call is open—and two practitioners will each receive up to £16,000, plus unparalleled access to the workshops and technical expertise of Kingston School of Art.

If your practice is research-driven, materially ambitious, and ready for an exhibition of international standing at the Stanley Picker Gallery, this Fellowship could be the catalyst you have been waiting for.

Deadline for applications: Monday 29 June 2026, 5pm.

What the Fellowship Offers

The Stanley Picker Fellowships are not production grants in the conventional sense. They are practice-based research fellowships designed to support innovative, experimental projects that might otherwise be impossible to realise.

Each Fellow receives:

This is a Fellowship for work that is research-led, materially rigorous, and ambitious in scope. It is not for the production of existing work, but for the development of something new.

Who Should Apply?

The Stanley Picker Fellowships are open to contemporary practitioners working in art and design at any stage of their career. There is no age limit, no degree requirement, and no expectation of a conventional academic path.

Previous Fellows have included artists, sculptors, furniture makers, digital designers, textile practitioners, and interdisciplinary researchers. What unites them is:

• A clear, innovative research question

• A need for specialist workshops or technical support

• An ambition to produce work of international standard

• A compelling reason why now and why here

The Gallery and its university partner-venue, Dorich House Museum, are committed to working ambitiously, innovatively and inclusively. Strong encouragement is given to applicants from all protected characteristics to achieve fairness of opportunity.

The 2026 Selection Panel

This year’s panel brings together curatorial, design, and international expertise:

• David Falkner – Director, Stanley Picker Gallery (Chair)

• Madeleine Collie – Curator, writer and editor; co-lead of the Food Art Research Network

• Sevra Davis – Director of Architecture, Design and Fashion, British Council; Commissioner of the British Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale

The panel will be looking for proposals that are rigorous, original, and feasible within the Fellowship’s resources and timeframe.

Pre-Application Resources

Applicants are strongly advised to:

1. Watch the recording of the Pre-Application Q&A session, featuring Director David Falkner, former Curator Borbála Soós, and artist Larry Achiampong (a previous Fellow).

2. Review the Fellowships pages on the Stanley Picker Gallery website to see the work of past recipients.

3. Read about the Gallery’s wider programme to understand the institutional context.

These resources will help you tailor your proposal to the Fellowship’s specific character.

Key Dates

How to Apply

Applications are made via an Application Pack, which you can request by registering your interest.

Step 1: Click HERE to register your interest (or visit the Stanley Picker Gallery website).

Step 2: You will receive the Fellowship Application Pack and information on how to apply.

Step 3: Submit your application by the deadline.

There is no application fee.

What the Panel Is Looking For

The Stanley Picker Fellowship is distinctive because it sits at the intersection of academic rigour and gallery ambition. Your proposal should demonstrate:

• A clear research question – What do you want to explore, and why does it matter?

• Material or technical need – Why do you require Kingston’s workshops specifically?

• Feasibility – Can the work be realised within the Fellowship’s funding and timeframe?

• International ambition – The resulting exhibition should be of international standing.

The panel is not looking for polished, finished work. They are looking for risk, curiosity, and potential.

Environmental and Inclusive Commitments

Stanley Picker Gallery and Dorich House Museum are explicit about their values:

• Environmental responsibility – A duty to reduce impact on the planet through transforming working practices. Applicants should consider sustainability within their proposals.

• Equality and diversity – Strong encouragement for applications from all protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments and additional support are available.

If you require any additional support with your application, contact the staff team at stanleypickergallery@kingston.ac.uk or call 020 8417 4074.

Final Advice

This Fellowship is competitive, but it is also genuinely transformative. Past Fellows describe it as a period of unusual freedom: time, space, workshops, and expert guidance without the pressures of commercial production or academic assessment.

Before you apply, ask yourself:

• Is my project truly research-led, or just a production plan?

• Could I make this work without Kingston’s workshops? (If yes, this may not be the right Fellowship.)

• Have I watched the Q&A recording and looked at previous Fellows’ work?

• Does my proposal reflect the Gallery’s commitments to innovation, inclusivity, and environmental responsibility?

Stanley Picker Fellowships in Art & Design 2026

Two Fellowships available | Up to £16,000 each | Access to Kingston School of Art workshops | Exhibition at Stanley Picker Gallery

Deadline: Monday 29 June 2026, 5pm

Register your interest now to receive the Application Pack HERE.

Stanley Picker Gallery, Kingston University. Committed to ambitious, innovative and inclusive practice.