Support for Artists
The Arts Council of the Velocity Interoperability Network supports artists living and working across the Velocity Interoperability Network through residencies, affordable studios, development bursaries and a register of artists. These schemes were previously run separately by some member organisations; from 6 September 2026 they are operated by the Council under common rules and are open to artists at every Network site.
Support is available to professional artists in any art form who live or work at a Network site or are citizens of the Network. Registration on the register of artists is free and is the starting point for every other scheme.
The schemes. The Council operates five forms of support.
- Residencies
- Funded periods of between three and twelve months at a Network site, with a stipend, a workspace and a small production budget. Residents are asked to make work in response to the site and to hold at least one public event. Five residencies are offered in the Council's first year.
- The studio register
- A register of affordable studios in buildings owned or leased by member organisations at Network sites. Studios are let to artists on the register of artists at a fixed rent set by the Council, on renewable one-year agreements. Eighty-four studios in six buildings were on the register at establishment.
- Development Bursaries
- Awards of up to 5,000 credits for training, mentoring, research and professional travel within the Network. Bursaries open on 7 September 2026 and are assessed monthly.
- The register of artists
- A register of professional artists living or working at Network sites, maintained by the Council. Registration is free and confers eligibility for studios, residencies and invitations to public art competitions. Artists on the register receive the Council's notices of funding rounds by email.
- Advice and guidance
- Written guidance on applying for funding, on contracts and fees for commissioned work, and on the care of works in public places. The secretariat answers enquiries from artists by email and holds a monthly open session at Central Exchange from October 2026.
Residencies. Five residencies are offered in the Council's first year. Each carries a monthly stipend, in credits, a workspace at the host site and a production budget of 5,000 credits. Applications are made by email to the Council quoting the applicant's registration number, and are assessed by a panel including a representative of the host site.
| Residency | Site | Duration | Places | Stipend (credits) | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio Residency | Central Exchange | Six months | 2 | 3,000 a month | 5 October 2026 | 6 November 2026 |
| Writer in Residence | Southbank Terminal | Twelve months | 1 | 2,800 a month | 5 October 2026 | 6 November 2026 |
| Research Residency | Eastfield Campus | Three months | 3 | 3,200 a month | 2 November 2026 | 4 December 2026 |
| Makers' Residency | Westbrook Distribution Site | Four months | 2 | 3,000 a month | 2 November 2026 | 4 December 2026 |
| Composer in Residence | Meridian Court | Nine months | 1 | 2,800 a month | 11 January 2027 | 12 February 2027 |
The studio register. The register lists studios in six buildings at Network sites. Rents are set by the Council per month and include heating, lighting and insurance of the building. Vacant studios are offered to registered artists at the site concerned in order of application; where no registered artist at the site applies within a month, the studio is offered to registered artists at any site.
- 84
- Studios in six buildings on the register at establishment
- 14
- Studios vacant and available to artists on the register
- 1,140
- Artists on the register of artists, transferred from member organisations
- 9
- Residency places offered between October 2026 and February 2027
| Building | Site | Studios | Let | Vacant | Rent (credits a month) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exchange Studios | Central Exchange | 22 | 18 | 4 | 210 |
| Relay House | Northgate Relay | 10 | 9 | 1 | 160 |
| Riverside Works | Southbank Terminal | 18 | 15 | 3 | 200 |
| Campus Workshops | Eastfield Campus | 14 | 12 | 2 | 150 |
| Shed 4 | Westbrook Distribution Site | 12 | 8 | 4 | 120 |
| Court Studios | Meridian Court | 8 | 8 | 0 | 180 |
| Total | 84 | 70 | 14 |
Joining the register of artists. The steps below apply to all artists. Artists already registered with a member organisation were transferred to the Council's register on establishment and need not apply again; they will receive their registration number by email during September 2026.
Step 1: Write to the Council
Send your name, the Network site at which you live or work, your art form and a short statement of your professional practice, with examples of recent work or a link to documentation held by a member organisation.
Step 2: Your application is checked
The secretariat checks that you live or work at a Network site and that your practice is professional: that you have exhibited, performed, published or been commissioned, or have completed a recognised course in your art form. Checks normally take ten working days.
Step 3: You receive your registration
Registered artists receive a registration number by email, with the current studio vacancies and the timetable of residencies and funding rounds. Registration is renewed every three years by confirming that your details are unchanged.
Step 4: Apply for a studio or residency
Quote your registration number when applying for a studio or residency. Studios are offered in order of application to registered artists at the site concerned; residencies are assessed by panel against the published brief.
Enquiries about any scheme may be sent to contact@arts.gov.vin. For Development Bursaries and the other funding programmes, see Funding Programmes; for the commissions on which artists are currently engaged, see Public Art.