Fellowships at V&A East ‘South Asia Everywhere’

Overview

The British Council and V&A East are launching two new Fellowships with a focus on Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. The Fellowships will fund creative practitioners to carry out fieldwork research in Pakistan, Nepal, or Bangladesh, research with the V&A Collections at V&A East Storehouse in London, and the production of a new commissioned work. The inaugural V&A East x The British Council Fellowships will begin in Summer 2026, culminating in a commissioned work on display in June through Autumn 2027.

Theme: South Asia Everywhere

South Asia Everywhere is the seasonal theme launching in June 2027. The theme seeks to explore the various ways South Asia has global reach and is entwined in different localities around the world. The Fellowships will commission new work that illustrates specific instances of exchange between South Asian countries and other countries, regions, and cities beyond South Asia, particularly interested in global exchanges rooted in material culture, and methods of making, and how ideas flow across borders via objects, ideas, materials, and know-how.

Eligibility

Applicants must be currently residing in the UK or have plans to be residing in the UK during the Fellowship period.

Key Dates

• Application deadline: July 31st, 2026
• Interviews for shortlisted candidates: early August 2026
• Final decision: August 31st, 2026
• Fellowship begins: Summer 2026 (upon appointment)
• Commissioned work on display: June through Autumn 2027

Award

A total of £25,000 will be awarded to each Fellow. From that, £5,000 will be allocated to research in South Asia and London, and £20,000 allocated to the production of a new work including install fees, artist fees, and collaborator fees.

How to Apply

Applicants should submit in one PDF document: a creative proposal responding to the seasonal theme South Asia Everywhere (no more than 500 words), a CV, 3-4 examples of prior work, a research plan, and a draft budget. The research plan should outline which of the three countries (Pakistan, Nepal, or Bangladesh) the applicant intends to carry out fieldwork research and some indication of sites they wish to visit. The draft budget should give indication of how research money is to be spent, an estimate of production costs, the artist fee, and any other payments to collaborators. Shortlisted applicants will participate in an interview online with a jury of representatives from V&A East and the British Council to determine the final selection.

Submission

Applications should be emailed to [email protected] with a deadline of July 31st. Interviews for shortlisted candidates will occur in early August, with a final decision being made by August 31st.