Residencies

Since the V&A's inception, supporting contemporary artists, designers and makers has been at the heart of our vision. V&A South Kensington has three dedicated on-site studios for residents.

Adobe Creative Residency Programme

This new programme brings making into the museum, giving artists, designers, performers and creators unprecedented access to world-class arts resources, mentorship, studio space, creative programming and the opportunity to publicly display their work.

Each year, three creatives work for 12 months, full-time, based in a studio space at the V&A South Kensington. Each Adobe Creative Resident is paired with a curator-mentor who acts as a guide to the collection throughout their time. Residents also work with a designated audience (schools, families or young people) and collaborate with the learning team to expand access to creativity, design and making. The programme ends with a display of their work at V&A South Kensington.

The Adobe Creative Residency is supported by the Adobe Foundation.

Open calls

Information about the next open call will be available from May 2024

For general information on our residencies and how to apply, read our guidance notes.

Artists in residence 2024

Luca Bosani

Adobe Creative Resident: Costume Design
Focus audience: Young people

Exploring the intersections between wearable/performance art and gender diversity, Luca reimagines innovative ways to portray identity and challenge stereotypes.

Guided by a commitment to equality and creativity for all, Luca provides tools for non-conforming identities to flourish, as well as introducing inclusive modes of being to the wider community. In conceiving the concept of UPOs (Unidentified Performing Objects), Luca opens up limiting binaries and widens artistic categorisation.

They are collaborating with the Young People's Programme team to make the collection accessible for young people in new ways.

person dressed in red jacket, hat and trousers, with funky pattern platform boots. Next image is an installation containing green platform boots on a checkered background
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Rachel Sale

Adobe Creative Resident: Illustration
Focus audience: Families

Bringing her explorative, collaborative, and neighbourly energy to the V&A, Rachel's practice centres around community-building and illustration. Her residency focusses on the process of map-making as a method of relationship-building.

Founder of FAT Studio CIC, a not-for-profit creative studio based in an ex-shop on Old Kent Road, south-east London, Rachel regularly collaborates with people of all ages and backgrounds on community-focussed art projects.

Rachel is working with the Families Programme team and inviting adults and children to create maps together, as a way to playfully connect with the collection.

Person with short bleached hair and a yellow jumper, smiling at the camera. Alongside is a collection of brightly coloured illustrated leaflets and banners
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Jacqui Ramrayka

Adobe Creative Resident: Global Ceramics
Focus Audience: Schools

British-Guyanese ceramicist Jacqui centres her practice around the intangible nature of personal and collective memories – giving them form through the medium of porcelain vessels. She takes residue, remnants, fractures and erosion and uses them to embody memories, decay and time, particularly in relation to the Indo-Caribbean diaspora's experience, memory and grief.

For her, vessels have a dual purpose. They symbolise a history of sacred and domestic rituals, but can also be seen as a metaphor for the body and self, separation and entrapment. At the same time, they hold things together, preventing them from being lost or forgotten.

Jacqui is exploring the wider themes of diaspora, home, and belonging, working with the Schools programme to inspire the next generation of makers.

Woman with shoulder-length hair and glasses, wearing red and white floral patterned top. To the right is a close-up of a glazed blue pot, with slight cracks. The blue glaze drips down.
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Events, workshops and open studios

Meet and learn about our residents with drop-in creative workshops, open studio sessions, and resident-led activities. Aimed at families, young people and schools.

Alumni

Our residency programme has hosted a wide range of practitioners since it was established. Watch our films to get a first-hand account of the research and projects that our residents have carried out.

V&A residency playlist

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Header image: © Sam Bakewell