Venice fellowships at Leicester

Museum Studies at Leicester is proud to offer students each year the chance to take part in the Venice Fellowships Programme, a unique opportunity to spend a month in Venice during one of the world’s most important art and architecture Biennales.

The Venice Fellowships is a long-running British Council initiative that engages and enriches the exhibitions at the British Pavillion, while offering a platform for emerging creatives to gain professional skills. Every year, around 70 fellows from UK universities and arts and culture organisations are selected to spend a month in Venice during either the Art or the Architecture Biennale.

Each year Leicester supports two fellows to join this British Council programme. Fellows spend a month living and working in Venice as part of the team at the British Pavilion while developing their own research or creative project. Fellows divide their time between:

• Exhibition ambassadors at the British Pavilion – welcoming visitors, supporting public engagement and interpretation.
• Independent research or creative projects – using the Biennale and Venice as a platform to develop a creative research project that links to their MA dissertation.

A transformative experience

For fellows the programme is a springboard into museum, gallery and heritage careers, as well as into further research or artistic practice. The fellowship allows students to combine hands-on experience with the chance to develop their own ideas and networks, connecting with artists, curators and audiences from across the world.

Funding, training and support

Each fellow receives a grant of £3,300 to support the cost of travel, accommodation, living expenses, insurance, local transport and visa fees (if required). Fellows make their own travel and accommodation arrangements, with guidance from the British Council as well as support from our staff who visits them once during the event.

Before travelling to Venice, fellows take part in online training provided by the British Council, which includes:

• an introduction to Venice, La Biennale and the British Pavilion exhibition
• practical sessions on visitor engagement and interpretation
• collaborative workshops with the wider UK fellow cohort

At Leicester, fellows receive further academic guidance and tutoring to link their Venice project to their MA research or dissertation.

How to apply

Applications for the Venice Fellowships open each autumn for the following year’s Biennale. Full details, deadlines and guidance for current Leicester students are available on Blackboard. You can also contact alice.tilche@leicester.ac.uk if you would like more information about this programme. Prospective students interested in applying in future years can explore the British Council’s Venice Fellowships website for more about the programme.

Sharing their experience

On their return, Leicester Fellows are invited to share their experience with the university community through talks, informal events, and exhibitions. The Attenborough Arts Centre (AAC) partners with us to host a post-Venice event each year, providing Fellows with a public platform to reflect on their time at the Biennale and showcase their creative or research-led work. This collaboration enriches the museum studies community by connecting students and staff with contemporary artistic and curatorial debates.