Spike Island Associates Space
20 Bursaries available, open to School of Arts BA and MA graduates
Deadline for applications: Tuesday 30 June, 10am
UWE Bristol X Spike Island Associates Membership Bursary
Soon-to-graduate students of creative degrees at UWE Bristol have the opportunity to apply for one of our 20 Spike Island Associates Membership Bursaries.
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 SPIKE ISLAND ASSOCIATES?
Spike Island Associates is a network that offers professional development opportunities, 24 hour workspace and events to artists, curators, designers, makers and writers who are keen to collaborate and experiment with all forms of art. Members are active contributors to a diverse network and can support one another with ambitious projects, working individually or together to develop their own creative practice. Find out more
WHAT IS THE BURSARY?
The standard Spike Island Associates membership fee is normally £13 per month. UWE Bristol are offering to pay membership fees to the Spike Island Associates network for 12 months (a value of £156) for 20 UWE Bristol graduates.
WHAT DOES A MEMBERSHIP INVOLVE?
As a member, you are encouraged to develop your own creative work and professional skills through accessing the Associates Network resources and community. A year-round programme of events, opportunities and projects is offered exclusively to members, including crit sessions with visiting artists from around the world. Spike Island Associates membership includes the following:
- Free admission to most of Spike Island’s talks and events
- 24-hour access to shared working space, featuring: IT facilities such as wireless internet, scanning, printing and computers with Adobe Suite, graphics and video editing software; a reference library and an active noticeboard for local, regional and national exhibitions, events and opportunities.
- Regular events, workshops, peer crits and one-to-one sessions with guest artists and curators
- Occasional group trips, with subsidised travel when possible
- The UWE Bristol / Spike Island Associate Membership Bursaries are valid for the 2026 intake from 30 September 2026 – 30 September 2027
ELIGIBILITY:
Applicants should be graduating from a UWE Bristol Schools of Arts undergraduate or postgraduate programme in 2026.
Applicants should also be planning to be based in or near the South West region for the majority of the year.
The panel (comprising a member of staff from UWE Bristol and a member of staff from Spike Island) will select successful applicants using the following criteria:
- Demonstration of a commitment to creative practice.
- A clear understanding of how membership will enhance their professional practice.
- Clear articulation of a commitment to the city and / or region.
- The achievements of the applicant to date.
Successful applicants are expected to:
Complete a short written evaluation when their membership ends comparing their progress against the original objectives outlined in their application form, as well as providing feedback to enable effective evaluation of the scheme.
MORE INFORMATION:
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:
Email nicky.sim@uwe.ac.uk by 10am on Tuesday 30 June with the following information, using the subject ‘Associates Bursary Application’:
1) Your full name, personal email address, phone number, degree subject and degree classification if known.
2) A short statement (up to a maximum of 400 words in total) explaining:
- An introduction to your practice, experience and key areas of interest
- What contribution you could make to the Associates network and what you would hope to gain from membership
- How this opportunity will enhance your professional development
- Your plans to stay in the region
- If relevant to your practice, please provide a link to your work on your website or social media, or attach up to five digital images of your work at 300dpi in the format artistname_titleofwork.jpg, eg. EdvardMunch_TheScream.jpg
ACCESS:
If you have access requirements and need support with completing your application, please contact nicky.sim@uwe.ac.uk.
Successful applicants will be notified by mid-July. Unfortunately, Spike Island cannot guarantee to provide individual feedback on unsuccessful applications.
You might also be interested to apply for a UWE X Spike Island Graduate Fellowship. See here for details.
GOOD LUCK!
