Noah Cole’s studio at Spike Island Open Studios 2026. Image by Lucy Bentley
Deadline: Monday 29 June, 10am
Three Graduate Fellowships open to graduates of any UWE creative undergraduate course
Each year, Spike Island works with UWE Bristol’s School of Arts to provide prestigious Fellowship opportunities for promising graduates through an open call to students.
The UWE X Spike Island Fellowships include:
- A shared studio space at Spike Island for one year, and access to the studios’ workshop equipment
- Free membership of Spike Island’s Associates scheme for a year, including access to IT facilities and a programme of events
- Mentoring opportunities with Spike Island and UWE staff
- A materials allowance
WHAT IS SPIKE ISLAND?
Spike Island is an experimental space where art is made and enjoyed—a vibrant social hub and one of the UK’s leading centres for contemporary art and culture. Housed in an 80,000 sq ft former tea packing factory in Bristol’s harbourside, Spike Island produces and presents an internationally acclaimed programme of museum-scale exhibitions, new commissions, events and engagement activities—always with free admission and a commitment to broadening access to contemporary art for all.
Spike Island provides vital infrastructure for artistic development and is home to over 70 artists’ studios including Spike Print Studio, the largest open-access print studio in the South West, and a dynamic community of creative businesses in fields such as architecture, print, digital, graphic, and product design.
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF FELLOWS?
Spike Island’s Fellowships will run from October 2026 to September 2027 (exact dates to be confirmed by Spike Island). Fellows are expected to communicate and meet with their mentors, make regular use of the shared studio and participate in opportunities such as Spike Island Open Studios.
ELIGIBILITY:
Three UWE X Spike Island Graduate Fellowships are open to final year undergraduate students of any creative course in UWE’s School of Arts who graduate in 2026. You can apply for a Fellowship as an individual or as a collective of up to two people.
Applicants should be able to demonstrate:
- An ongoing commitment to continued exploration of practice
- A vision for the development of their work
- How having a studio at Spike Island will support their practice
- A willingness to make an active contribution to Spike Island and its community
The deadline for applications is Monday 29 June, 10am, and interviews will be held in mid-July. Interviews are usually 15 minutes long and can take place online if needed.
The shortlist and successful Fellows will be selected by Clémentine Proby, Curator at Spike Island, and a member of staff from UWE’s School of Arts.
MORE INFORMATION:
There is a dedicated Fellows web page here:
www.spikeisland.org.uk/programme/artist-development/fellowships
Nicky Sim, Research Fellow: Art Partnerships, UWE, and Saphia Abrahamovitch-Venner, Spike Island’s Assistant Curator (Artist Development and Engagement), will hold an online Q&A at 1.30pm on Wednesday 17 June for anyone who has questions about applying.
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88567412828
You can also contact Nicky via email with any questions: nicky.sim@uwe.ac.uk.
HOW TO APPLY:
Please email the following items below as one PDF document to Nicky Sim at nicky.sim@uwe.ac.uk by Monday 29 June, 10am, using the subject heading, ‘Graduate Fellowships application’:
1) Your full name, personal email address, phone number, degree subject and degree classification if known, plus the name of a UWE staff member who we might contact as a referee if you are shortlisted.
2) A statement outlining how your practice would benefit from the Fellowship, and how you would contribute to the community at Spike Island, an international centre of art & design (300 – 500 words).
3) An artist’s CV (1 page A4), including a link to your website/social media page if you have one.
4) 5-7 images of your work, or links to moving image/performance work, along with title, media and date.
ACCESS:
If you have access requirements and need support with completing your application, please contact nicky.sim@uwe.ac.uk.
You might also be interested to apply just for an Associates Network Bursary. See details here.
Good luck!
