Acme Studios — Open call: Fire Station Residency 2020-2025

Supporting Artists since 1972


Open call: Fire Station Residency 2020-2025

19 August 2019

Since 1997, Acme’s Fire Station Residency has become one of the most directly supportive schemes for artists in the United Kingdom.

Now open for applications, the five year residency (2020-2025) provides secure, practical, work/live studio accommodation, and a programme of support and professional development for eight artists. Based in the heart of East London, the residency allows artists more time to concentrate on the development of their work and careers, and less time working to survive.

The building has housed communities of exceptional artists from all over the world, including Erika Tan, Lindsay Seers, Samson Kambalu, Aaron Williamson, Jonathan Baldock, Martin Creed, Haroon Mirza and Leah Capaldi.

The architecture of the Fire Station, a listed former London Fire Brigade Station, promotes a neighbourly approach to living and working and is the base from which a dynamic community of artists can form. Each self-contained work/live studio is converted from firefighters’ flats and average 5502f (50m2).

The residency is open to UK-based non-commercial fine artists who have been making work for at least five years or more. Artists will be asked to demonstrate a financial and practical need, quality of work, and a case for the transformational impact the residency would have on their career. The selection panel for 2020-2025 includes Anthea Hamilton, artist and current Acme work/live studio resident, and Judith Carlton, Director of Southwark Park Galleries.

Applications are open via Acme’s website: acme.org.uk/firestation2020
Closing 5pm Monday 30 September 2019.