News October 2025
VENICE FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAMME - OPEN CALL FOR FELLOWS 2026
Outer Spaces is thrilled to be working with the British Council again, as a partner for the 2026 Venice Fellowships Programme. We will be supporting one fellow to spend a month at the British Pavilion in Venice during the 61st International Art Exhibition.
Rachel Hutchison, Outer Spaces Fellow at the Venice Biennale 2024. Video, Andrew McNiven
The British Council Venice Fellowship offers a unique opportunity for emerging creatives to represent the UK on an international stage, broaden their perspectives, form new connections, and advance their creative practice. Fellows spend a month in Venice during one of the world’s most important art biennales, serving as Exhibition Ambassadors at the British Pavilion. In this role, they actively engage with visitors and contribute to the Pavilion’s impact while also pursuing their own research or creative projects, using the Biennale as a platform for growth.
The Venice Biennale (Italian: La Biennale di Venezia) is one of the longest-running cultural festivals in the world. The British Pavillion has been creating a space for artists and architects to captivate and challenge international audiences since its beginning in 1895. The Venice 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 new creative careers and future leaders.
2026 Fellowships Programme
The Programme offers a unique opportunity for an early career artist from our network (see eligibility criteria below) to spend a month in Venice during the biennale, alongside a cohort of their peers, broadening their perspective, making new connections, networking and developing their creative practice.
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.
Fellows will participate in a one-month group residency, spending half their time acting as Exhibition Ambassadors and the the rest of their time undertaking fieldwork in Venice to inform their creative practice and/or research interests. This fieldwork should be connected to the themes of Venice, La Biennale, the 61st International Art Exhibition, the British Pavilion and/or Lubaina Himid's 2026 commissioned exhibition.
John Akomfrah, 'Listening all Night to the Rain', British Pavilion,
Venice Biennale 2024. Courtesy of the British Council
Eligibility
This opportunity supports an early career artist from our network. Applicants must have graduated in 2023, 2024 or 2025 and be using an Outer Spaces studio, inducted before 1st October 2025. Please read the British Council Guidance Notes and programme requirements set out in their guide (available here). Please do not apply if you cannot commit to these programme requirements.
Key Information
Deadline for applications: Thursday 20 November 2025, 5pm
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.
Access
We encourage applications from D/deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent individuals. We invite candidates to submit their application in a format that is most accessible for them (written/audio/video).
It is the responsibility of Fellows to anticipate any access support they may need for their Venice Fellowship. Fellows should consider practical demands relating to travelling to Venice, invigilating at the British Pavilion, conducting a creative / research project, and living in the city for a full month.
Important note: The British Council will work collaboratively with Outer Spaces to meet any individual access needs. Please see the guidance notes for more access information.
How to apply
Please make sure you meet the eligibility criteria (stated here) before making your application.
Download the application form template from the Venice Fellowship Guidance Notes.
Complete equalities monitoring form.
Complete the application form and email it, along with your CV to submissions@outerspaces.org, stating which Outer Spaces property you're based in.
If you have any questions about the application process or the programme, please contact info@outerspaces.org.
Deadline
Thursday 20th November 2025, 5pm
Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
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Venice Biennale 2025 opening, British Pavilion. Courtesy of the British Council
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