Overview
In partnership with over 40 UK higher education institutions and pioneering creative enterprises, we have recruited, selected and are now supporting, 66 Venice Fellows for this year's programme.
Our Fellows represent the UK at the British Pavilion during John Akomfrah's exhibition at the 60th International Art Exhibition from 16 April to 24 November 2024 and they develop their own creative and scholarly projects during their one-month experience in Venice.
About the 2024 Fellows
Our largest cohort in history, our 66 Venice Fellows are artists, critics, public educators, mental health professionals, entrepreneurs, philosophers, international relations scholars, climate activists, a data scientist and a peace negotiator.
In past and present life chapters, they have worked at Ikea, Disney World, the Yellowstone National Park, as a flight attendant and in more than 84 cafes, shops and restaurants and just as many art galleries.
Over 65 per cent of our Fellows have previously faced barriers to the arts and economic opportunity because of race, class, homelessness, upbringing, disability, ethnicity, gender and nationality. The group hails from over 20 nations – some are well-travelled and others have yet to leave the UK until now.
Read more about the 2024 Fellows
The Programme
To prepare for a month in Venice, the Fellows participate in a seven-week online induction programme focused on forging and deepening intercultural connections with one another. Through storytelling, deep listening exercises, and honest exploration into creative and collaborative processes, the Fellows nurture their skills, including empathy, intercultural fluency and teamwork. They are also trained for their role invigilating in the British Pavilion and consider different ways to create welcoming art spaces and greet people who may not speak their language and have vastly different levels of art expertise. In small groups and with industry experts serving as mentors, the Fellows encourage one another to share the seeds of creative and scholarly projects, which they will develop further while in Venice. They will also meet with the artist for this year's British Pavilion Commission, John Akomfrah RA and the Curator of this year's British Pavilion Commission, Tarini Malik, to delve into the core themes of the exhibition and the many ways the viewers might respond.
On their return home from Venice, the Fellows co-design showcasing events to share their experiences and their projects and continue to co-create and convene beyond the Fellowship.
'This made me feel a part of something wonderful. There were so many amazing insights, shares and talented people. It really helped me to feel part of this peer group that is vast and alive.' – Fellow, 2023
The Partners
This year, we're thrilled to welcome an incredible mix of over 40 organisations from the UK, a combination of both returning and new partners, including new creative enterprises and Higher Education Institutions. Each of our Partners is committed to forging creative, academic and professional pathways for a more inclusive, representative and creative workforce.
