Bow Arts offers different awards, prizes and opportunities to provide ongoing support and encouragement to our artist community. Our residencies throughout the year give artists and creatives the opportunity to live and work outside of their usual environments.
Current opportunities
The Bow Research Group
A call for applications for up to 15 research residencies in central London to build a community of practice – the Bow Research Group – on the impact of the creative industries in the UK. Applications are welcomed from PhD students, early career researchers and more established researchers to help develop knowledge and understanding of the creative sector and some of the challenges it faces.
Permanent residencies
We host four permanent residency programmes across our east London sites.
Chadwell Award, Bow Road:
The Chadwell Award provides a bridge between art school and practice as a professional artist by giving a recent Fine Art MA graduate a free studio for a year at our Bow Road studios. The winner will also receive a grant of £1000 for materials.
East London Art Prize:
The East London Art Prize celebrates and promotes the incredible talent and diversity of art made in the cultural hive of east London, providing ongoing support for the runner-up of the prize in the form of a free studio for a year in one of Bow Arts’ studio sites in east London.
The Mick Bateman Memorial Award
In 2022, the artistic community suffered a profound loss with the unexpected passing of Mick Bateman, a dedicated artist and sculptor. He had a studio with Bow Arts for over thirteen years, during which time he grew and established his practice. The Mick Bateman Award was set up in 2024 with the specific intention to support and encourage emerging artists working in metal. Find out more.
Almacantar Award:
Property Investment Firm Almacantar have a dedication to provide three recent art studying graduates with a free studio for a year, every year at our Royal Albert Wharf studios in the Royal Docks, east London.
RAW Labs X Art Residency:
Over six months, selected artists will undertake two to three-week residencies at Royal Albert Wharf to expand their practice, explore new concepts, exchange diverse perspectives, and experiment with innovative approaches.
The Lab at Oaklands Rise Enterprise Residency:
The Lab at Oaklands Rise is a community space run by Bow Arts that aims to facilitate creativity and enterprise at the heart of a new development. The Enterprise Residency provides cost-free workspace and £500 as a launch pad for local businesses to test ideas to live audiences within a supportive environment, sharing knowledge and experiences with others using the space.
If you would like to know more about our residencies with Bow Arts please email property@bowarts.com
Hear from the artists
Laura Wilson: V&A East X Bow Arts Fellowship
We interviewed Laura Wilson about the V&A East X Bow Arts Fellowship, and the rich history of textiles within Newham.
