Sunday 1 February 2026, by Midnight.
All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by Monday 23 February 2026.
Open Call: Engagement Fellowship for South West-based Curators and Art Educators 2026-27
Spike Island and Hauser & Wirth Somerset are pleased to invite applications from independent curators, art educators and creative practitioners with a focus on engagement and social practice based in the South West of England. The successful applicant will develop and deliver a programme of events and activities as part of Spike Island’s Engagement programme from April 2026 to March 2027.
Working closely with the Spike Island Programme team and local partners, the successful applicant will cultivate an inclusive approach to engagement and community outreach, specifically working with community groups, families, children and young people.
The Engagement Fellowship 2026–27 should focus on the relationship between urban and rural communities, their surrounding landscapes, and local environments. The fellowship may explore how people experience changes in their environment and how these experiences connect with everyday social, economic, and historical contexts, while developing accessible formats suitable for a wide range of families and young people.
The programme proposal must include a range of public-facing outcomes, including discursive and participatory forms of engagement, such as workshops, tours, talks and reading groups. Outreach should be a priority, built in strategically throughout the programme. Events can take place at Spike Island, Hauser & Wirth Somerset, or at another relevant location.
This is the second of three Engagement Fellowships for South West-based curators taking place between 2025 and 2028, kindly supported by Hauser & Wirth, and offers an exciting opportunity for a curator or art educator looking to grow their practice in collaboration with local audiences.
The successful applicant will receive:
The delivery of the programme will be supported by Spike Island’s Curator and Assistant Curator: Artist Development and Engagement; the Hauser & Wirth Learning team; as well as other members of staff when necessary.
For an insight into the first year of this programme, please see Ecotones: Where the Urban and Rural Embrace by Florence Fitzgerald-Allsopp.
The Fellowship is for an independent curator, art educator or creative practitioner based in the South West of England, with a focus on outreach, engagement and social practice and experience of running educational and public programmes.
You will have good knowledge of contemporary art, visual arts engagement practice and a clear understanding of current debates in the sector. Please note that we are not able to accept applications from anyone currently undertaking an undergraduate course.
The selected applicant will need to pass a basic DBS check. If you do not already have a basic DBS certificate dated within the last three years, we will support you to apply for one.
Spike Island is committed to anti-racism and to addressing inequality in the arts sector. We strongly encourage applications from people who identify as D/deaf, disabled or neurodiverse, part of the Global Ethnic Majority, and/or come from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.
All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by Monday 23 February 2026.
Applications will be reviewed by a panel consisting of Spike Island’s Curator and Assistant Curator: Artist Development and Engagement, and Hauser & Wirth’s Learning team.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an online interview with Spike Island and Hauser & Wirth staff in the week commencing 16 February 2026. The panel will value applicants’ experience of running education, learning or engagement activities for a wide range of audiences, an inclusive approach to audience development and the relevance of the proposal in the context of Spike Island’s wider programmes.
Is there any support available to help with submitting an application?
We are happy to receive applications in alternative formats (video, audio file). We may also be able to find other ways to make the application process more accessible to you.
If you require access support with your application please contact Saphia Abrahamovitch-Venner, saphia.venner@spikeisland.org.uk.
How do I let you know what my access needs are?
We welcome all artists we work with to share their access documents with us. This can help us accurately forecast timescales and budgets for the production and delivery of projects. If you do not have your own access document but would like to submit one along with your application, you can use our template available here.
Will my access costs be covered?
Any access costs you incur as an artist or practitioner should be covered by Access to Work* if you have self-employed artist status or work as part of an organisation or company.
*Access to Work is a government scheme that is designed to meet the additional costs of employing a disabled person where they are directly a result of that person’s impairments. For more information go to: www.gov.uk/access-to-work/overview
If you do not draw an income from your work, we will work with you to meet your access costs if you are selected.
Spike Island is an experimental space where art is made and enjoyed— a vibrant social hub and one of the UK’s leading centres for contemporary art and culture. Driven by a spirit of possibility and experimentation, we have been asking ourselves and our audiences ‘what if…?’ for over 40 years. Today, Spike Island is a pioneering ecosystem of creative communities that’s shaping the future of art in Bristol and beyond.
Housed in an 80,000 sq ft former tea-packing factory in Bristol’s harbourside, we produce and present an internationally acclaimed programme of museum-scale exhibitions, new commissions, events and engagement activities—always with free admission and a commitment to broadening access to contemporary art for all.
Hauser & Wirth is committed to inclusive learning programs that create a dialogue between art, artists and diverse audiences. Ongoing global projects are centered on three core pillars: to engage with communities; enrich academic courses; and foster better access to art careers through a series of meaningful partnerships. Operating beyond the physical spaces of Hauser & Wirth locations, the longstanding learning program recognises art as a vehicle for personal and collective discovery, driven by the work of the gallery’s artists. The learning team collaborates with a range of cultural organisations and non-profit partners, facilitating an exchange of ideas and new perspectives to bring an expanded learning experience.
Find out more: hauserwirth.com/learning
This opportunity is one of three Engagement Fellowships for South West-based curators taking place between 2025 and 2028, kindly supported by Hauser & Wirth Somerset. The three-year initiative will connect Spike Island and Hauser & Wirth’s Learning programmes, aiming to support the professional development of artists, young people and independent art workers based in the region.
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