ABOUT RSA RESIDENCIES FOR SCOTLAND
The Royal Scottish Academy Residencies for Scotland programme provides valuable research and residency opportunities for artists whilst forging important networks with centres of artistic excellence across Scotland, ranging from traditional residency venues to specialised production facilities.
Open to visual artists at all stages of their careers, the artist-led programme enables a period of research, development and production, as well as the acquisition and exchange of new skills and experiences. Artists can apply for funds of up to £5,000 and are responsible for managing their own residency, in cooperation with the residency venue.
Our partner venues offer quality development and presentation opportunities to contemporary artists. Their expertise and longevity have helped form the backbone of artist practice in Scotland for decades. Exhibition opportunities may be available at the RSA or through links with the partner venues and their own exhibition facilities or networks.
The Royal Scottish Academy of Art and Architecture is an independently funded institution whose purpose is to promote and support the visual arts in Scotland. The Residencies for Scotland programme is administered and funded by the RSA, with kind support from the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust and the RSA W. Gordon Smith & Jay Gordonsmith Trust. Launched in 2009, the programme is now offered on a biennial basis. Since its inception we have awarded over £386,000 to 118 artists to spend time at 42 venues across Scotland.
Aims of the residency programme:
To enable artists a dedicated period of research, development and production.
To reinforce links with centres of excellence across Scotland.
To provide access to technical expertise and assistance to learn new skills and techniques.
To enable the exchange of ideas and practice.
Participating Residency Venues 2026
Airlie Artists Residency, Angus
An Cridhe, Isle of Coll
An Lanntair, Isle of Lewis
Bothy Project, Isle of Eigg
Cove Park, Argyll and Bute
Cromarty Arts Trust
Deveron Projects, Huntly
Dundee Contemporary Arts Print Studio
Edinburgh Printmakers
Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop
Glasgow Print Studio
Peacock and the worm, Aberdeen
The Pier Arts Centre, Orkney
RSA Collections Department, Edinburgh
Scottish Sculpture Workshop, Lumsden
Stills, Edinburgh
Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow
Taigh Chearsabhagh, North Uist
WASPS Artists Studios (Skye)
ENTRY CONDITIONS
Entry conditions and requirements must be strictly adhered to or applications may be rejected. By completing the application the artist agrees to all stated entry conditions.
Artists must have been born or are currently living in Scotland (and have been for at least 3 years consecutively*). *Exceptions to this 3 year rule will be permitted on enquiry for those intending to remain in Scotland, this includes refugees based in Scotland. Please contact us to discuss further.
Artists should no longer be in full-time education at the time of applying.
Artists may apply for funds of up to £5,000.
Duration of residencies are flexible but must be completed before the end of 2027. Failure to complete residencies within the stated time may result in award monies being recalled.
Artists are responsible for budgeting all aspects of the residency (accommodation, materials, venue costs, travel, workshop use, etc).
The artist will be responsible for the structure and day-to-day management of their award, in agreement with the residency venue.
The overall project will be administered and financial aspects monitored by the RSA.
Artists will need to check for any restrictions or additional costs that may apply to each residency venue before completing the application. A full list of participating venues and residency guidelines can be found on our website.
Funds are to be put solely towards the residency costs.
Funds can be used in conjunction with other sources of funding (this should be clearly outlined in the budget).
Funds cannot be used as capital, to fund exhibition costs, to pay for editioning of works or for third party production costs.
Successful applicants will be required to complete an evaluation report at the end of their residency.
All resulting works/exhibitions/publications should carry RSA and Residency Venue credit and the relevant logos. Please contact us to request our logos.
SELECTION PROCESS
Artists will be assessed on the quality of visual material submitted, the coherency of their proposed project, and on proving to the Panel that the project will allow for major development and artistic exploration.
An initial shortlist of applications will be made by an RSA Panel, made up of Royal Scottish Academicians. This shortlist will then be sent to each of the relevant venues for a second round of selection, ensuring that the venues are involved in the process. The RSA Panel will then make a final selection based on the funds available.
All artists will be notified of the outcome of their application by the end of May 2026.
The decision of the RSA Panel is final and no correspondence can be entered into.
Due to the high volume of applications, we regret it is not possible to provide individual feedback on unsuccessful applications.
Applicants may not contact members of the selection panel directly regarding their application or to request feedback. Contact with members of the panel may result in rejection of the application.
HOW TO APPLY
Applications should be made online via Submittable. If you have used the Submittable platform with any organisation before you may use the log in details you have previously set up. If this is your first time using Submittable you will be required to sign up for an account.
The online application will require artists to submit the following information:
- Artist statement (max. 100 words)
- Up to 5 key artistic achievements (max. 150 words)
- 25 word summary of proposed project
- Desired venue
- Proposed residency dates
- Proposal (max. 400 words) which should include a concise outline of proposed project
- Up to 6 visuals of works already produced.
- Budget (excel format) including total project costs and amount requested from the RSA
- Artist CV
Postal applications will be accepted from anyone who is having difficulties with the online form. Please ensure that postal applications are received by the RSA by the application deadline.
Artists may submit a maximum of 6 JPEGS or up to 3 minutes of video files. Please consider that should you wish to submit a mix of video and JPEGS, every 30 seconds of video equates to the value of one JPEG.
Avoid using composite or multiple images per slide and captions on images.
For collaborative applications, one artist should be nominated to be the contact for correspondence. A collaborative application must keep to the same guidelines and limits as a single artist submission. Artists may only make one application, therefore if submitting as part of a collaborative application this must be your only application.
Applicants may apply to one venue only.
In addition to these Application Guidelines, please read the following thoroughly before submitting an application (available to download via our website):
- Residency Venue Information
- Applicant FAQ's
RSA JOHN KINROSS ART SCHOLARSHIPS
ABOUT THE AWARD
The RSA John Kinross Art Scholarships (£3,000) are awarded for final year and postgraduate artists to spend a period of 6 to 12 weeks in Florence to research and develop their practice.
Florence has been an inspiration to generations of artists and architects and this opportunity allows successful applicants to experience its magnificent history, study its art and architecture, learn the language and create a visual record of their experience.
Nine artists will receive an initial payment of £2,800 for travel, accommodation and subsistence, as well as entrance to galleries and museums and any study visits to the surrounding areas with the remaining £200 awarded on the satisfactory completion of the scholarship. Artists are required to use this autonomy to the best of their advantage.
ELIGIBILITY
Applications are invited from fine art students in their Honours or post-graduate years of study at one of the following art schools in Scotland - Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee, Edinburgh College of Art, Glasgow School of Art, and University of the Highlands and Islands.
APPLICATION PROCESS
· Applications should be made online via Submittable.
· Applicants are required to enter a Statement of Practice (max. 200 words) and Proposal (max. 200 words) which should indicate how the applicant aims to develop their practice during this period in Florence. Applicants will be assessed on coherency of the proposed project and the potential to further develop and enhance their practice. Should you prefer, you can record and upload your Statement of Practice and Proposal as a single audio file (.mp3, .m4a or .wav), instead of a written response. The audio file (max. 5 minutes) must be uploaded to your Submittable application and be no more than 400MB in size.
· Applicants are required to upload visual material in support of the application.
- A maximum of 6 JPEG images or up to 3 minutes of video files may be uploaded. Please consider that should you wish to submit a mix of video and JPEGS, every 30 seconds of video equates to one JPEG.
- Please avoid using composite or multiple images per slide and do not include captions on the image.
- Please note that a crucial part of the selection process is based on the review of applicants visual material and as such we strongly encourage applicants to submit the highest quality visuals.
· Applicants are asked to complete an Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form. These details remain secure and have no bearing on the judging process.
· The application can be re-visited and edited by the applicant until the deadline of Sunday 22 March 2026 or the application is submitted. It is the artists responsibility to complete and submit the application by the stated deadline. No applications can be accepted after the stated deadline.
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY
· Entry conditions and requirements must be strictly adhered to or applications may be rejected.
· The decision of the selection panel is final and no correspondence can be entered into. Due to the quantity of applications received, feedback on individual applications cannot be provided.
· The Scholarship should be based in Florence. It is intended that the ‘study tour’ be used as a period of research and development. Work which may take the form of sketchbooks, art works, and notes, should be used as a record of study and made in response to your experiences and research with a view to developing new work. This could be in response to various museums, churches and outside environments, or in line with your own personal research. Candidates are expected to produce a substantial body of work as evidence of study.
· A Portfolio Meeting for Scholars in the Spring of 2027 when they will be expected to present a portfolio of all working material from Florence and any related work made subsequently.
· Subject to the satisfactory completion of the scholarship, The Royal Scottish Academy reserves the right to accession one representative work in agreement with the artist into the Permanent Collection of the Royal Scottish Academy. The artist will receive the final £200 following the deposit of selected works into the Collection.
· The award winners will be announced by the end of May 2026.
· The award should be completed by January 2027.
· The copyright of all works remain with the artist but it is a condition of entry that the RSA reserves the right of reproduction of all submitted and resultant works for publicity/marketing/educational/reference purposes in connection with the award.
· Personal information supplied by applicants on application forms will be held securely by the Royal Scottish Academy in accordance with The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
· Please note we do not have the expertise or specific knowledge to offer tax advice for individuals in receipt of awards and funding. We advise you visit HMRC’s website for information about receiving funding, awards, bursaries and grants, or consult with a qualified expert. You may also want to look at the information provided by Art Quest on the subject here.
Applicants will be assessed against the following criteria:
· Coherency of proposed project and the potential to further develop and enhance practice.
· Quality of visual material submitted.*
*Please note that a crucial part of the selection process is based on the review of applicant's visual material and as such we strongly encourage applicants to submit the highest quality visual material.
Applicants are also welcome to apply to the RSA Barns-Graham Travel Award and the Blackadder Houston Travel Award in addition to the RSA John Kinross Scholarship (please refer to guidelines for each award to check eligibility).
Application deadline:
Sunday 22 March 2026, 5pm
Contact:
opportunities@royalscottishacademy.org
The Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL
RSA JOHN KINROSS ARCHITECTURE SCHOLARSHIPS
ABOUT THE AWARD
The RSA John Kinross Architecture Scholarships (£3,000) are awarded for final year and postgraduate architects to spend a period of 6 to 12 weeks in Florence to research and develop their practice.
Florence has been an inspiration to generations of artists and architects and this opportunity allows successful applicants to experience its magnificent history, study its art and architecture, learn the language and create a visual record of their experience.
Three architects will receive an initial payment of £2,800 for travel, accommodation and subsistence, as well as entrance to galleries and museums and any study visits to the surrounding areas with the remaining £200 awarded on the satisfactory completion of the scholarship. Architects are required to use this autonomy to the best of their advantage.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must be RIBA Part 2 students in their final year, or currently attending a Masters programme, at one of the five Scottish Schools of Architecture.
Group work is not admissible.
APPLICATION PROCESS
· Applications are completed online via Submittable.
· Applicants are required to enter a Statement of Practice (max. 200 words) and Proposal (max. 200 words) which should indicate how the applicant aims to develop their practice during this period in Florence. Applicants will be assessed on coherency of the proposed project and the potential to further develop and enhance their practice. Should you prefer, you can record and upload your Statement of Practice and Proposal as a single audio file (.mp3, .m4a or .wav), instead of a written response. The audio file (max. 5 minutes) must be uploaded to your Submittable application and be no more than 400MB in size.
· Applicants are required to upload visual material in support of the application.
- A maximum of 6 JPEG images or up to 3 minutes of video files may be uploaded. Please consider that should you wish to submit a mix of video and JPEGS, every 30 seconds of video equates to one JPEG.
- Please avoid using composite or multiple images per slide and do not include captions on the image.
- Please note that a crucial part of the selection process is based on the review of applicants visual material and as such we strongly encourage applicants to submit the highest quality visuals.
· Applicants are asked to complete an Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form. These details remain secure and have no bearing on the judging process.
· The application can be re-visited and edited by the applicant until the deadline of Sunday 22 March 2026 or the application is submitted. It is the artists responsibility to complete and submit the application by the stated deadline. No applications can be accepted after the stated deadline.
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY
· Entry conditions and requirements must be strictly adhered to or applications may be rejected.
· The decision of the selection panel is final and no correspondence can be entered into. Due to the quantity of applications received, feedback on applications cannot be provided.
· The Scholarship should be based in Florence. It is intended that the ‘study tour’ be used as a period of research and development. Work which may take the form of sketchbooks, art works, models and notes, should be used as a record of study and made in response to your experiences and research with a view to developing new work. This could be in response to various museums, churches and outside environments, or in line with your own personal research. Candidates are expected to produce a substantial body of work as evidence of study.
· There will be a Portfolio Meeting for Scholars in the Spring of 2027 when they will be expected to present a portfolio of all working material from Florence and any related work made subsequently.
· Subject to the satisfactory completion of the scholarship, The Royal Scottish Academy reserves the right to accession one representative work in agreement with the architect into the Permanent Collection of the Royal Scottish Academy. The architect will receive the final £200 following the deposit of selected works into the Collection.
· The award winners will be announced by the end of May 2026.
· The award should be completed by January 2027.
· The copyright of all works remain with the architect but it is a condition of entry that the RSA, and the Trustees of each award, reserve the right of reproduction of all submitted and resultant works for publicity/marketing/educational/reference purposes in connection with the award.
· Personal information supplied by architects on application forms will be held securely by the Royal Scottish Academy in accordance with The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
· Please note we do not have the expertise or specific knowledge to offer tax advice for individuals in receipt of awards and funding. We advise you visit HMRC’s website for information about receiving funding, awards, bursaries and grants, or consult with a qualified expert. You may also want to look at the information provided by Art Quest on the subject here.
Applicants will be assessed against the following criteria:
· Coherency of proposed project and the potential to further develop and enhance practice.
· Quality of visual material submitted.*
*Please note that a crucial part of the selection process is based on the review of applicant's visual material and as such we strongly encourage applicants to submit the highest quality visual material.
Application Deadline:
Sunday 22 March 2026, 5pm
Contact:
opportunities@royalscottishacademy.org
The Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL
List of Awards
· RSA Barns-Graham Travel Award (£2,000)
· RSA Blackadder Houston Bequest ECA Travel Awards (2 x £3,000)
RSA Barns-Graham Travel Award (£2,000)
ABOUT
The RSA Barns-Graham Travel Award (£2,000) provides a travel and research opportunity for graduating and postgraduate students. Funded by the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Charitable Trust and administered by the Royal Scottish Academy, the award consists of:
· A monetary award of £2,000 to fund travel outside the UK for a period of research and development for a new body of work.
· An exhibition of selected completed work at the Royal Scottish Academy at a future date.
· The donation of work into the prestigious RSA Permanent Collections.
ELIGIBILITY
· Entrants must work predominantly in painting, printmaking or sculpture.
· Entrants must either be undergraduates graduating in summer 2026 or currently studying at postgraduate level at one of the following Scottish art schools: Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee, Edinburgh College of Art, Glasgow School of Art, and University of the Highlands and Islands.
RSA Blackadder Houston Bequest Travel Awards (£3,000)
ABOUT
The RSA Blackadder Houston Bequest Travel Awards (£3,000) provide a travel and research opportunity for two graduating and postgraduate drawing and painting students from Edinburgh College of Art. Funded by the Blackadder Houston Bequest and administered by the Royal Scottish Academy, the award consists of:
· Two monetary awards of £3,000 to fund a period of travel for the research and development for a new body of work.
ELIGIBILITY
· Entrants must be painters.
· Entrants must either be undergraduates graduating from Edinburgh College of Art in summer 2026 or currently studying at postgraduate level at Edinburgh College of Art.
APPLICATION PROCESS
· Applications are completed online via Submittable through one application process for all three awards.
· Applicants are required to select which awards they wish to be considered for, taking into account the eligibility and entry requirements for each award, and then indicate an order of preference. It is acceptable to apply for all three awards (if eligible) and also for the separate RSA John Kinross Scholarship if eligible.
· Applicants are required to enter a Statement of Practice (max. 200 words) and Proposal (max. 200 words) which should indicate intended travel location and how the artist aims to further develop and enhance their practice during this period. Applicants will be assessed on coherency of the proposed project and the potential to further develop and enhance their practice. Should you prefer, you can record and upload your Statement of Practice and Proposal as a single audio file (.mp3, .m4a or .wav), instead of a written response. The audio file (max. 5 minutes) must be uploaded to your Submittable application and be no more than 400MB in size.
· Artists are required to upload visual material in support of the application
- A maximum of 6 JPEG images or up to 3 minutes of video files may be uploaded. Please consider that should you wish to submit a mix of video and JPEGS, every 30 seconds of video equates to the value of one JPEG.
- Please avoid using composite or multiple images per slide and do not include captions on the image.
- Please note that a crucial part of the selection process is based on the review of applicants visual material and as such we strongly encourage applicants to submit the highest quality visuals.
· Artists are asked to complete an Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form. These details remain secure and have no bearing on the judging process.
· The application can be re-visited and edited by the applicant until the deadline of Sunday 22 March 2026, 5pm or the application is submitted. It is the artists responsibility to complete and submit the application by the stated deadline. No applications can be accepted after the stated deadline.
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY
· Entry conditions and specific criteria for each award must be strictly adhered to or applications may be rejected.
· The decision of the selection panel is final and no correspondence can be entered into. Due to the quantity of applications received, feedback on applications cannot be provided.
· The award funds should not be used as a capital grant.
· The award winners will be announced by end of May 2026.
· The award should be completed by May 2027.
· If submitting a collaborative application, one artist should be nominated as the main contact person for correspondence. A collaborative application must keep to the same guidelines and limits as a single artist application.
· The winners are required to submit a short report to the RSA which will be shared with the Trustees of that award. This report must be submitted within 6 weeks on completion of the award.
· The copyright of all work remains with the artist, but it is a condition of entry that the RSA, and the Trustees of each award, reserve the right of reproduction of all submitted and resultant works for publicity/marketing/educational/reference purposes in connection with each award.
· Personal information supplied by applicants on application forms will be held securely by the RSA in accordance with The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
· Please note we do not have the expertise or specific knowledge to offer tax advice for individuals in receipt of awards and funding. We advise you visit HMRC’s website for information about receiving funding, awards, bursaries and grants, or consult with a qualified expert. You may also want to look at the information provided by Art Quest on the subject here.
Applicants will be assessed against the following criteria:
· Coherency of proposed project and the potential to further develop and enhance practice.
· Quality of visual materials submitted.*
* Please note that a crucial part of the selection process is based on the review of applicant's visual material and as such we strongly encourage applicants to submit the highest quality visual material.
Applicants are also welcome to apply to the RSA John Kinross Scholarships (please refer to guidelines for each award to check eligibility).
Application Deadline:
Sunday 22 March 2026, 5pm
Contact:
opportunities@royalscottishacademy.org
The Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL