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Top Artist Residencies in London for 2026
Discover the best artist residencies in London and the UK, with details on stipends, studios, and application requirements for visual artists, curators, and writers.
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Top Artist Residencies in London for 2026
London, a city where Georgian townhouses sit alongside brutalist towers and centuries-old institutions share streets with scrappy artist-run spaces, remains one of the world's most compelling destinations for creative practitioners. From the South Bank's cultural powerhouses to East London's warehouse studios, the city offers an unparalleled density of galleries, museums, and artistic communities.
Beyond the Tate Modern and the National Gallery lies a network of residency programmes that provide international and UK-based artists with dedicated space, financial support, and access to London's extraordinary creative infrastructure. Whether you work in visual arts, curation, craft, or drawing, London's residencies offer pathways into one of the art world's most influential ecosystems.
This guide covers the top residencies in London and the UK, with verified details on what's included and how to apply.
London Residencies
Delfina Foundation (Victoria, London)
Delfina Foundation operates from a Victorian townhouse near Buckingham Palace, hosting research-driven residencies across five thematic programmes that address urgent contemporary concerns.
What's included:
- Living allowance: £40 per day
- Materials budget: £1,000
- Return economy air tickets
- Visa fee reimbursement
- Local travel pass (TfL zones 1-2)
- Single bedroom with desk in shared residence (up to 8 residents)
- Shared facilities: bathrooms, kitchen, library, dining room, laundry
UK-based artists: Non-residential participation available with £3,000 fixed fee.
Thematic programmes:
- Making and Materiality
- Collecting as Practice
- Politics of Food
- Science, Technology & Society
- Performance as Process
2026 programmes:
- Southeast Asia (Winter 2026): January 6 - March 27, 2026
- Making and Materiality (Spring 2026): March 26 - June 19, 2026
- Turkey (Autumn 2026): September 21 - November 1, 2026
Application details:
- Duration: 6-12 weeks
- Applications: Via open calls on website
- Requirements: Research-based motivation, English proficiency
Note: Delfina's thematic approach means residencies are built around shared enquiry rather than isolated studio practice. Residents engage with each other's research and participate in public programming throughout their stay.
Learn more at delfinafoundation.com
Gasworks (Vauxhall, London)
Gasworks has supported international artists since 1994, offering fully funded residencies that prioritise process over production. The programme hosts approximately 20 international artists annually.
What's included:
- 24-hour access to private studio
- Single-room accommodation in Residency House
- Economy return flights
- Visa costs and application support
- Weekly stipend: £150-175
- Materials budget: up to £800
- Prepaid TfL travel card (zones 1-2)
2026 open calls by region:
- Canada
- Pakistan
- Bolivia
- Armenia
- Central America
- Palestinian artists
- Spain
Application details:
- Duration: 11 weeks
- Eligibility: International artists from partner countries
- Applications: Must respond to specific country/region open calls (no speculative applications)
- Priority: Artists who haven't previously worked in London
Note: Gasworks residencies are explicitly non-prescriptive, emphasising research and experimentation rather than exhibition outcomes. The programme's country-specific funding partnerships mean opportunities vary by region each year.
Royal Drawing School - Don Bachardy Fellowship (Shoreditch, London)
The Royal Drawing School offers the Don Bachardy Fellowship, a unique opportunity for international artists to immerse themselves in drawing practice alongside the School's Drawing Year students.
What's included:
- Stipend: $5,000 (half upon acceptance, half on arrival)
- Access to 60+ drawing courses
- Studio space alongside Drawing Year cohort
Course options include:
- Life drawing
- Drawing from art in museums and galleries
- Outdoor drawing and urban sketching
- Intaglio printmaking
Application details:
- Duration: 10 weeks (April 27 - July 4, 2026)
- Structure: 3 full days per week
- Eligibility: International artists with MA-level study; NOT open to UK residents or those who have previously studied/lived in UK
- Application deadline: November 20, 2025 (for 2026 fellowship)
- Sponsor: Christopher Isherwood Foundation
Note: This fellowship specifically targets international artists seeking intensive engagement with observational drawing. The 2026 applications are now closed; check the website for 2027 deadlines.
Learn more at royaldrawingschool.org
Cluster London Artist-in-Residence (East London)
Cluster London offers a fully funded residency for artists working in craft, illustration, photography, and contemporary jewellery, culminating in a solo exhibition and participation in the Cluster fair.
What's included:
- Private studio
- Accommodation
- Production assistance
- Materials, meals, and transport covered
- Solo exhibition
- Participation in Cluster fair
- Weekly one-to-one mentoring with industry professionals
Post-residency: Option for 1-5 year management contract with continued mentorship and representation.
Application details:
- Duration: 4 weeks
- Disciplines: Crafts, illustration, photography, contemporary jewellery
- Eligibility: All ages, any nationality; artists engaging with contemporary society
- Applications: Check website for open calls
Note: Cluster's residency is distinctive for its pathway to ongoing professional support. The programme is particularly suited to makers and visual artists seeking commercial gallery representation alongside exhibition opportunities.
Learn more at clusterlondon.com
V&A Artist in Residence (South Kensington, London)
The Victoria and Albert Museum hosts a year-long residency programme with on-site studios, offering artists unprecedented access to one of the world's greatest collections of art and design.
What's included:
- 12-month full-time residency
- On-site studio (ceramics studio in Ceramics galleries or interdisciplinary studios in Learning Centre)
- Studio access: 7 days/week, 07:00-19:00
- Culminating 6-month exhibition at V&A South Kensington
Programme structure:
- 3 artists per annual cohort
- Studios located within the museum galleries and Learning Centre
- Additional shorter residencies available through department collaborations
Application details:
- Duration: 12 months (full-time commitment)
- Eligibility: Early to mid-career UK-based artists and designers with substantial independent experience
- Applications: Via V&A website open call
Note: The V&A residency offers extraordinary access to the museum's collections, conservation teams, and research facilities. The programme suits artists whose practice engages with material culture, craft, design, or historical objects.
National Gallery Artist in Residence (Trafalgar Square, London)
The National Gallery Artist in Residence programme offers mid-career artists a year-long engagement with one of the world's finest collections of Western European painting.
What's included:
- On-site studio at the National Gallery
- Substantial fee
- Stipend for London living and childcare
- Unparalleled access to collection, research teams, and conservation
- Publication produced
- Exhibition in dialogue with the collection
Application details:
- Duration: 1 year
- Selection: By nomination only (no open application)
- Eligibility: Mid-career artists with international reputation
- Jury: 6 members including artists and curators from partner institutions
Current resident: Ming Wong (2025 Artist in Residence)
Note: This is one of the most prestigious residencies in the UK, but it operates by nomination rather than open call. Artists are identified by a jury that includes curators and artists from international partner institutions.
Learn more at nationalgallery.org.uk
Cubitt Curatorial Fellowship (Angel, London)
Cubitt offers one of the UK's only dedicated curatorial fellowships, providing emerging curators with a paid two-year position to develop experimental programming at this artist-run gallery.
What's included:
- Salary: £32,000 pro-rata for 3 days/week (Wednesday-Friday on site)
- 24-month fellowship duration
- Platform to develop experimental curatorial projects
- Support from established artist-run organisation (founded 1991)
Application details:
- Duration: 24 months
- Focus: Curatorial experimentation and emerging artist support
- Applications: Check website for open calls
Track record: Running since 2001, the fellowship has supported 13 curators/collectives and over 400 emerging artists.
Current fellow: Seán Elder
Note: Cubitt's fellowship is unique in the UK for its focus on curatorial development within an artist-run context. The programme suits curators interested in experimental approaches and working closely with emerging artists.
Learn more at cubittartists.org.uk
Practical Tips for London Residencies
Cost of Living
London is one of the world's most expensive cities, making residency-provided accommodation particularly valuable:
- Accommodation: Provided by most residencies (crucial for affordability)
- Food: Budget £15-30 daily for meals
- Transport: Oyster card or contactless payment; weekly caps make unlimited travel affordable
- Art supplies: Cass Art, Jackson's Art Supplies, Atlantis Art Materials
Getting Around
London's public transport network makes most residencies easily accessible:
- Extensive tube, bus, and overground connections
- Most residencies well-connected to zones 1-2
- Cycling increasingly popular (Santander Cycles hire available citywide)
- Consider a monthly travelcard if commuting regularly
Visa Requirements
- EU/EEA citizens: No visa required for stays up to 6 months
- Standard Visitor visa: Up to 6 months for short residencies (no paid work)
- Creative Worker visa: Required for longer paid residencies (sponsor needed)
- Residency programmes typically provide supporting documentation for visa applications
Best Times to Apply
- Delfina Foundation: Rolling open calls throughout the year
- Gasworks: Country-specific calls announced throughout the year
- Royal Drawing School: November deadline for spring fellowship
- V&A: Check website for annual open call (typically autumn)
- Cluster: Check website for current opportunities
Finding More Opportunities in the UK
The UK hosts numerous additional residency programmes beyond London:
- Arts Council England - Funding and opportunity listings
- a-n The Artists Information Company - UK artist opportunities and resources
- Artquest - London-focused artist resources and advice
- TransArtists - International residency database
For comprehensive residency listings worldwide, browse our funded residencies guide or visit our opportunities page.