Curatorial Research Residency

Bedford Square, London, United Kingdom

Freelance

Closes in 11 days

Curatorial Research Residency (2026–27)

Paul Mellon Centre × Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation

Location: N/A (applicants must be based in the UK)

Fee: Curatorial research fee of £4,000. Research expenses of up to £2,000

Contract Type: Freelance

Hours: N/A

Closing Date: 10am Wednesday 22 April 2026

Interview Date: Interviews will be held w/c 11 May 2026 online

Start Date: Monday 1 June

About the Role

The Paul Mellon Centre (PMC) and the Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation invite applications for a Curatorial Research Residency to take place during 2026–27.

This Residency will support an early-career researcher with a strong interest in Scottish art to undertake in-depth curatorial research on a work, or group of works, from the Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation’s collection. The successful applicant will make significant use of the PMC’s Archives & Library during their research, as well as the Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation’s collection and network, and be given academic and curatorial support from both institutions. They will then develop a proposal for a display suitable for the PMC’s Display Room.

We anticipate that the residency will require approximately 15–18 days of work. How this time is distributed across the residency period is flexible and can be agreed with the Centre and the Fleming-Wyfold team, depending on the successful candidate's approach to the project. We expect that some time will be spent working with the PMC Archives & Library, though this need not follow a fixed weekly pattern.

If the proposal is approved, the Curatorial Resident will then be involved in installing the display at the PMC in early January 2027.

Why This Role, Why Now?

The Residency is designed to foster original research, ambitious curatorial thinking and new interpretative approaches to Scottish art within broader British and international contexts.

Who We Are

This Residency is based in a partnership between the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art (PMC) and the Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation. The PMC is a research centre and educational charity which supports the generation of ideas and promotes the sharing of knowledge about British art to create better understandings of the past, present and potential futures. The Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation is endowed to care for and enhance its collection, and to promote an understanding and awareness of Scottish art and creativity.

Who We Need

The Residency is open to early-career researchers and curators with a demonstrable interest in, and commitment to, Scottish art. Applicants may come from academic, museum or independent curatorial backgrounds.

This is explicitly intended to be a developmental early-career opportunity, to extend and deepen experience of research on collections, and translation of that research into a display geared towards a broad audience.

Apply For This Job

To apply for this position, please fill in the information below.

First Name(s) *

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Preferred Communication Method

This application form will be used to select candidates for interview. If you need any support completing this form, please contact HR at recruitment@paul-mellon-centre.ac.uk and we can provide alternative application methods. The Paul Mellon Centre is aware of its obligations under the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and is committed to processing your data securely and transparently. The personal information collected on this form will be used for the purpose of selection/recruitment only. Please consult the Applicant Privacy Notice for further information.

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Employment History

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Project Proposal

We know that some people might use AI tools to help when writing their application. That’s okay for things like grammar or formatting but everything you include should still be based on your own experience and understanding of the role.

In no more than 1000 words, please outline: - Your proposed research focus, i.e. a work or group of works from the Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation. The full collection is available to search online here: https://www.flemingcollection.com/collection/explore-the-collection - Key research questions and methodology - Research context and potential impact on the wider field of British art history - Intended use of the Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation and Paul Mellon Centre collections - Preliminary thinking toward a proposal for the Paul Mellon Centre’s Display Room

Project Proposal *

Statement of Interest

In no more than 500 words, please tell us about your background, career stage and how this Residency would be relevant to your professional development. *

References

Please indicate one person who can provide a reference. This may be your present/most recent employer, your former or current PhD supervisor, or someone at a gallery or museum with whom you have previously worked on a curatorial project. The referee should have knowledge of you and your work, and be able to help us assess your candidacy for this opportunity. Your referee will only be contacted after an offer of employment has been made.

Reference Details (Name, Occupation, Work Address, Email Address, Contact Number, How do you know this person?)

Other Information

We want to support you if you need an adjustment in our recruitment process. If there are any adjustments that you need to be made to enable you to attend an interview or throughout the recruitment process, please give details, separately and in confidence to the HR team by emailing recruitment@paul-mellon-centre.ac.uk or phoning the centre on 0207 580 0311.

Please declare any personal, professional and/or business details you may have with the Paul Mellon Centre that could result in a Conflict of Interest. *

Are you currently eligible for Employment in the UK? *

Yes

Please state what documentation you can provide to demonstrate this. *

Although this is a freelance role, it is based in the UK. Applicants must therefore have the right to work in the UK. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.

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Yes

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DECLARATION I declare to the best of my knowledge and belief, all particulars I have given in all parts of this application form are complete and true. I understand that any false declaration or misleading statement or a significant omission may disqualify me from employment with The Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art and render me liable to dismissal. I understand that any confirmed job offer is subject to pre – employment checks including references, checks on relevant qualifications, employment eligibility, unspent criminal convictions, a probationary period and (if the organisation believes it appropriate) a medical report, all of which must be deemed by the organisation as satisfactory. Please check the below box below

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