King's College London

The Fellowship offers a unique opportunity for two King's postgraduate students in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities to represent the UK as exhibition ambassadors at the British Pavilion in Venice, where they will spend a month during the the Venice Biennale’s 61st International Art Exhibition – In Minor Keys by Koyo Kouoh – from May to November 2026.

The 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. Successful candidates will represent the UK at an international level whilst broadening their perspective, making connections and developing their creative practice.

World-renowned British artist Lubaina Himid will represent Britain at the 2026 Biennale, delivering 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.

What is the Venice Fellowship Programme?

The Venice Fellowships Programme sends approximately 60 UK-based students and researchers to the Venice Biennale for one month each year. Two places are available to King's Arts and Humanities graduate students. Fellows spend half their time working at the British Pavilion, acting as Exhibition Ambassadors and interacting with visitors and supporting the exhibition. The other half of their time spent in Venice is dedicated to students being able to develop or exhibit their own independent research or creative project, inspired by the Biennale and Venice.

Full details are available to download from the Venice Fellowship Programme Guidance Notes.

 

Funding

Fellows receive a grant of £3,300 to help support the cost of travel, accommodation and living costs.

 

Eligibility

Students must be registered as postgraduates (MA, MPhil or PhD) at King’s at the time of application. Please also read the British Council requirements set out in the Venice Fellowship Programme Guidance Notes.

Please note that we are currently only able to offer this opportunity to postgraduate students in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

Application Process and Key Dates

 

1. Read the Programme Guidance Notes for 2026 – Available here.
2. Download the Application Form as a Word document and complete.
3. Submit a copy of your CV and your completed application Form by email to Professor Jeanette Steemers Steemers@kcl.ac.uk by Monday 24^th November, 12 Noon.
4. Complete the Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form. This is voluntary and anonymous.

We welcome applications in written, audio or video format.

Deadline: 12 Noon Monday, 24^th November 2025

In the interest of fairness, late applications will not be accepted. Please note that places are limited, and competition will be strong.

 

Selection

A University panel will review all applications against the questions in the application form. Between two and five students will be shortlisted for each place available and will be put forward to the British Council for final selection. All applicants will be informed as to whether or not their application was shortlisted by King’s. Online interviews of shortlisted candidates to forward to the British Council will take place in the week beginning 1^st December 2025. The British Council will review the shortlisted applications and notify the final candidates in early January 2026.

 

Pre-Fellowship Training

Successful applicants will receive full training by the British Council prior to beginning their Fellowship. This will include participating in 15 hours of compulsory online training and collaborative workshops in March and April 2026 to know more about Venice, La Biennale and British Pavilion exhibition content. It also provides a chance to network and meet others in the cohort of Fellows with whom you will be working during your time in Venice.

 

Through their training and experience in supporting the exhibition at the British Pavilion, Fellows will learn techniques for enhancing a visitor’s understanding and expanding their perspectives on the show. The stewarding experience provides them with valuable work experience and confidence in contributing to a gallery setting.

 

Post-Fellowship Expectations

After the Fellowship, students that have been supported will be expected to engage with the (online or in person) cultural events of KCL to help encourage other students to take part in future opportunities.

 

Further Information

Please read the Venice Fellowship Programme Guidance Notes for detailed information about the programme and to download the application form template. General information about the Venice Fellowship is available on the British Council’s website.

 

Any Questions?

Q&A sessions for interested candidates will be held by the British Council on the following dates via Teams:

 

Monday 20 October 2025, 12pm-1pm BST Register here: Teams link

Wednesday 19 November 2025, 12pm-1pm GMT Register here: Teams link

 

Both sessions will cover the same topics:

1. Overview of the 2026 Fellowships Programme Application Guidelines.
2. Experiences from 2025 Fellows.
3. Support and guidance for completing the 2026 application form.

 

King's will not receive a recording. Please attend if you would like to receive the information.

An additional in person information session at King’s College London will be scheduled on 11^th November 2025 from 16.30-17.00 in Waterloo FWB G.73