Open call: apply for the new Design Trust Fellowship at V&A East

About the Open Call

The Design Trust Fellowship at V&A East is a one-year programme awarding a creative practitioner funding to engage in research at V&A East Storehouse, fieldwork in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and China where appropriate, and to produce a new creative work, which will be displayed at V&A East for a six-month season. The inaugural V&A East Design Trust Fellowship will begin in Autumn 2025, culminating in a commissioned work on display in Autumn 2026 through Spring 2027. Practitioners are asked to respond to the theme the Stories of Clothes, with a research focus relating to Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and China. We are interested in projects rooted in object-based research which explore the meaning of clothes, questioning what our clothing reveals about us from the complex and intricate relationship we have with our own bodies to the ways in which their design, production and disposal shape our world. Rooted in research, the final creative output could be in any media but practitioners are asked to consider the suitability of their project for a 6-month installation in a public building. Please note that the production costs for the output are included in the fee. The successful candidate will receive $275,000 HKD to fund their time, travel expenses, accommodation and production costs of a new work to be installed at V&A East. Fellows can be based anywhere around the world, but we would expect at least 3 weeks of research to take place at V&A East Storehouse.

What is Offered

A one-year fellowship programme, including funding of $275,000 HKD for time, travel, accommodation, and production costs, culminating in a new creative work displayed for six months at V&A East. Research and fieldwork opportunities at V&A East Storehouse, Hong Kong, Greater Bay Area, and China.

Requirements

Practitioners are asked to respond to the theme 'the Stories of Clothes' with a research focus relating to Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area, and China. Projects should be rooted in object-based research. The final creative output can be in any media but must be suitable for a 6-month installation in a public building. Fellows can be based anywhere around the world, but are expected to conduct at least 3 weeks of research at V&A East Storehouse.

How to Apply

This open call runs from 3 July until midnight on Friday 22 August 2025. Applicants are asked to submit in English: a research plan and conceptual proposal for a new work to be displayed at V&A East (no more than 500 words and up to 5 images); a budget of how they would allocate $275,000 HKD; and a CV (no more than 500 words). Applications will be reviewed collectively by members of the V&A East team and Design Trust team. The team may choose to shortlist a small group of applicants and conduct interviews. The finalist will be determined by September at the latest. Please send your submissions by Friday 22 August 2025 to designtrustfellowship@vam.ac.uk.