We’re delighted to announce five new participants in the University of Salford Art Collections’ Graduate Scholarship Programme: Henry Collier (BA Fashion Image Making and Styling), Charlie Currid (BA Fine Art), Andrea Lowe (MA Socially Engaged Practice), Portia Wilkins (BA Fine Art), and Anni Kay Wilkinson (BA Photography).
Delivered in partnership with Castlefield Gallery, Manchester, the long-running programme grants bespoke support packages to graduating BA and MA students from the University of Salford School of Arts, Media, and Creative Technology. Aiming to support graduates to develop a career in the arts sector, each 12 month award can include: mentoring, coaching, research trips, studio space, membership of Castlefield Gallery Associates, and a bursary for research, materials or travel. At the end of the scheme, each artist has the opportunity to have work acquired into the University’s permanent collection.
“The Scheme has supported more than 50 artists since 2014, and it has been a pleasure and privilege to see our talented graduates develop their independent practices. We received a high number of strong applications this year, and are pleased to be able to award graduates from across a range of courses: BA Photography, Fine Art, FIMS, and MA Socially Engaged Practice. We very much look forward to working with this year’s artists, in partnership with Castlefield Gallery” Stephanie Fletcher, Curator.
This years’ programme is co-ordinated by artist and writer Elliott Flanagan, who graduated from BA Visual Arts at the University in 2017 and took part in the scholarship scheme in 2017-2018.
“I’m delighted to be awarded the scholarship opportunity and excited to utilise it to continue to develop my practice. The scholarship, for me, enables me the space and support to develop at a professional level along with the tools to do so. The support of a creative community in a real-world professional context beyond that of the educational setting. It is also accessible and supportive in terms of providing a platform despite being a working sole parent.” – Andrea Lowe, MA Socially Engaged Art Practice
“I’m so excited and honoured to join the scheme. I feel I can make the most of the connections made and things learnt while studying Fine Art at University, and I can explore new facets to my practice in a critical environment.” – Charlie Currid, BA Fine Art
Henry Collier BA FIMS (Fashion Image Making and Styling) @henryjamescollier
Henry creates imagery that comments on male vulnerability, self-accountability, and issues of toxicity prevalent in contemporary society. As well as working across photography and fashion image making and styling, his outputs include zines, prints, sculpture and text. His work explores ideas of softness as strength, and aims to help young men and LGBTQIA+ communities to find senses of belonging and reciprocal community. Henry will be based at Islington Mill studios.
Charlie is a multidisciplinary artist from Bolton, interested in hybridity and the experience of nature in the digital age. His practice is composed largely of painting, video, and installation based pieces. Within his work, there is rarely a fixed end point: the work is “in constant flux, much like a river, continually eroding and depositing. Paintings become videos, become textiles, become sculptures, to return to paintings…”
Andrea Lowe MA Socially Engaged Arts Practice @andrealoweart
Andrea is a socially engaged artist and educator based in the North West. Her practice focuses upon arts and health, using creativity as a means to communicate and explore issues for and with people. Her work spans fine art (including drawing, printmaking and sculpture) to socially engaged practices (including creative facilitation and participatory artworks). Overarching themes include health, wellbeing, female empowerment and agency, within a context of social inclusion and experiences of domestic violence. Andrea will be based at New Art Spaces, Warrington.
Portia is a Welsh artist based in Salford, Manchester. Their practice is an extension of the artist’s experiences, folklore, the gothic and gamer culture. their work explores avatars and hybrids that live within a liminal world, with reference to Welsh myth and history. Portia will be based at Paradise Works studios.
Anni is a photographer specialising in social, event and documentary styles. Her practice focuses on capturing underground and minority subcultures in Greater Manchester, as well as documenting different inner city areas. Her long-term project Hulme Loonies documents the communities and characters of the area. Her work has featured in the British Culture Archive, The Face, The Guardian, and Manchester Mill.
Image credits:
1)Self portrait in bathroom mirror in a petrol station, 2025, by Henry James Collier 2) Charlie Currid in the studio, courtesy the artist 3) Andrea Lowe in the studio, courtesy Helen Constantinou 4) The Sheep Pilgrim, Portia Wilkins, courtesy the artist 5) Fire Pit, Anni Kay Wilkinson, courtesy the artist
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Mediated Realities 1 September 2025 – 30 January 2026 New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery, University of Salford Free entry
What does it mean to witness crisis in the digital age? This powerful exhibition brings together works from the University of Salford Art Collection and university staff, exploring how conflict, disaster and protest are filtered through news and social media. Featuring artists including Richard Hamilton, Joe Tilson and Thomson & Craighead.
Mediated Realities is co-curated by Team Assistant Sam Parker, as part of a two-year traineeship role with the Art Collection Team. The exhibition is open from 1st September 2025, with a special evening opening event 4.30 – 7.00 8th October 2025 co-inciding with our MA Art & Design Degree shows.
A new artist development opportunity for emerging and early-career artists who want to explore creative technologies
Project dates: Monday 22nd – Friday 26 September 2025, 10am – 6pm Deadline to apply: 11th August 2025 Fees: £250 participation bursary available; and up to £5000 for one selected commission More information and apply now: at the Lowry website
Are you an early career or emerging creative connected to Salford and committed to learning about creative technology? (CreaTech)
This opportunity is for artists from any non-digital discipline who would like to develop their practice and discover new ways of making. You may have taken initial first steps into the tech space, but no experience is required.
Taking place from Monday 22nd – Friday 26 September 2025, 10am – 6pm at the University of Salford’s DevLab in MediaCity, the project will include participatory workshops, practice development and a commission opportunity.
You will have the opportunity to explore a variety of applications and test out new ideas in a supported peer to peer learning environment, with a chance to share ideas, explore collaborations and pitch projects for further development.
We encourage you to bring your current practice with you, whether that be illustration, performance art, ceramics, visual art, dance, textiles etc, we are able to accommodate for a variety of mediums, you will have the opportunity to tell us more in your application.
Across four days, along with four other participants, you will take part in one participatory workshop per day with the following CreaTech specialists:
On the final day, all participants will be encouraged to develop and pitch a solo or collaborative project idea based on your learning. The University (University of Salford Art Collection and University of Salford School of Arts, Media, & Creative Technology) will then select one project to be further developed for showcasing at the Beyond Conference Day 0 event in November 2025
The successful project will receive funding of up to £5k (from University of Salford Art Collection) to cover artists time and production costs, as well as access to facilities and technical support from the University of Salford School of Arts, Media, & Creative Technology.
The artwork (an edition or element of) developed for Beyond Day 0 will then be acquired by University of Salford Art Collection.
The remaining participants will have the opportunity to share their work in progress as part of wider fringe events at Beyond and everyone will receive a free ticket to the BEYOND Conference.
A digital showcase of a selection of works made by University of Salford BA Photography students, in response to the works and themes of gallery exhibition Between the Earth and the Sky. With a curatorial statement by Collection Intern Eran Voisey.
Works are also on display in the New Adelphi Building – Atrium large screen from Monday 23rd June to Friday 25th July; plus a selection of printed works by Will Rowe selected for exhibition in the Clifford Whitworth Library, ground floor display case.
Reflections: Between the Earth and the Sky highlights lens-based artworks created in response to the exhibition Between the Earth and the Sky. In kinship with their initial inspiration, these artworks further explore the natural world and what it means to us as individuals. From being captivated by minute details, to exploring vast landscapes, or getting lost in contemplation, the featured artists invite you to reflect on how you interact with nature and how it influences you.
Through rippled and sunkissed waters, Natasha Judge and Jamey Cassidy remind us of the beauty and romance of the natural world. Meanwhile, photographic prints by Archie Gifford, and Katie Hunter call on us to be aware of humanity’s impact on nature. Similarly, Luke Speakman’s images (and photobook made from non-recyclable waste) emphasizes the importance of preservation and sustainability.
By getting up close and personal, Amelia Sampson and Levi Brown find beauty in the intricacies of leaves and ice – noticing what is often missed in a modern, fast-paced lifestyle. Additionally, Pavani Chandana makes fleeting moments tangible through the use of animated cyanotypes.
With the use of distorted reflections and brushed cyanotypes to evoke powerful emotions, Kiera Jones and Will Rowe explore the conceptual themes of fantasy and memory, and withdrawal and seclusion. Inspired by ancestral practices, Jarvis Best and Eran Voisey, using moving image and photographic collage, adventure through themes of oneness and spirituality; portraying how we may more deeply experience and connect with the landscape.
OPEN CALL FOR SOCIALLY-ENGAGED PHOTOGRAPHER. Fixed fee: £10,000 Deadline: 10am Monday 7th July 2025 University of Salford Art Collection with RHS Garden Bridgewater, Open Eye Gallery, Salford Youth Service, and Salford Museum & Art Gallery
The University of Salford is working in partnership with RHS Garden Bridgewater (RHSGB), Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool and Salford Youth Service to widen access to and engagement with nature through the medium of photography. We have secured Arts Council England (ACE) project grant funding to support a socially engaged photographer to work with Salford Youth Service and up to 4 groups of young people between September 2025 and October 2026.
Background:
University of Salford and Open Eye Gallery have a strong track record of collaborative working including includes developing a joint Masters programme in Socially Engaged Photography. We delivered a socially engaged artist in residence with the Collection in 2021/22 (Gwen Riley Jones; who developed work with Salford Youth Council) and worked again with Salford Youth Service on the Is Anybody Listening project in 2023.
We are now looking for a socially engaged photographer (or socially engaged artist focussing on photography) to work with young people from Salford Youth Service and to engage with them with nature through the RHSGB and the broader residency programme.
The selected candidate will work with SYS who have identified the following 4 groups:
NEET (Not in education, employment or training – across Salford)
Salford Youth Council (across Salford)
Little Hulton and Walkden Youth Group
Eccles and Winton Youth Group
SYS will support the selected photographer with a dedicated youth work worker and assistant supporting all activity. 10 digital cameras will be available for use.
Objectives:
Introducing or improving photography-based skills for local young people
Supporting young people to visit and connect with new places (RHS, Salford Museum, campus)
Encouraging young people to think about issues around nature, environment, sustainability and wellbeing
Creating space and time for young people to express what’s important to them
Sharing young people’s voices with a public audience (format TBC – may be e.g. digital blogs, publication, visual outcome, presence in planned events/exhibitions programmes).
What we are looking for / what to expect:
A socially engaged photographer with demonstrable interest in nature and the environment and experience of working with young people. Our young people are mainly from low socio economic backgrounds and have diverse needs including low confidence and neurodiversity.
We anticipate:
Approximately 40 days delivery, based on site (across Salford) with SYS and 4 groups of young people. Based on 10 sessions per group – including a minimum of 2 visits to RHSGB, and 1 visit to Salford Museum and Art Gallery (Oct 26)
2 groups taking place from mid Sept 25, and 2 groups from April 26
Approximately 10 days planning and preparation, and contributing to evaluation and communications and events (symposium Oct 26)
There is also potential to:
present work or documentation publicly at RHSGB (summer 26), Salford Museum and Art Gallery (Oct 26), UOSAC or OEG, or online at the end of the project.
engage with students of MA Socially Engaged Practice at UoS
engage with the UOSAC
The successful candidate will be required to pass a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check (enhanced with children’s barred list) in order to be able to take up the role, or be registered with the DBS Update Service in order for an employer check to be carried out.
You will also be committed to working in or developing environmentally sustainable practices.
We recognise that the project will develop and change over the year and our staff teams will support you in embracing opportunities as the project evolves.
Fees and expenses:
Fee: Fixed artist fee of £10,000 to include all expenses and any VAT if payable. Payable in quarterly instalments.
This is based on a programme of activity from Sept 25 – Oct 26 – approx. 40 days across the 4 groups, plus 10 days for planning, preparation, and contribution to communications, evaluation and events (symposium). We anticipate that the work will happen mainly in autumn and spring when the weather is better for outdoor activity and when the gardens will be at their most interesting.
Costs: there is an additional budget available of up to £3400 to cover all additional costs such as transport, refreshments and materials for working with SYS.
There is potentially up to a further £2000 available for legacy. This could cover time/material costs such as: printing/framing and presentation at a public venue (eg at Youth Centre or Salford Museum and Art Gallery), making books or objects to take home at end of project, digital skills to present work online.
You will also receive organisational support from the University of Salford Art Collection team and partners as well as marketing reach for the project.
Reporting:
Line Manager and first point of contact: Stephanie Fletcher, Curator, UOS Lead contact at SYS: Rob Fulton Lead contact at OEG: Sarah Fisher Lead contact at RHSGB: Daniel Atherton
APPLICATION PROCESS:
To apply:
Please send us your CV along with a letter explaining your interest in this position and how you might approach the role (1-2 pages maximum).
Please include a selection of images of your work or include links to work online.
Please send your application in standard file formats (e.g Word, PDF and JPEG). Please do not send very large files or Wetransfer/Dropbox/etc links as these may not reach our inbox.
Send your application to artcollection@salford.ac.uk With the subject line “SEP SYS Residency 2025” Application Deadline: 10am Monday 7th July Interviews: Tuesday 22nd July
Accessibility:
If you have access needs and wish to discuss these in relation to the application and interview stage, or the opportunity more broadly, please contact: artcollection@salford.ac.uk
We are committed to equal opportunities and will work with the successful selected applicants to support access requirements through reasonable adjustments during the programme. Where disclosures are made and access needs are identified, this will be discussed in more detail with selected candidates after interview stage.
We actively encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply. We fully recognise the value of a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities.
FURTHER INFORMATION: (click to drop-down)
About University of Salford Art Collection
The University of Salford Art Collection is a modest but ambitious collection of modern and contemporary art, founded in 1968 and actively collecting new work through commissions & co-commissions. The collection team work with artists at a range of career levels and collect diverse work across four three thematic strands: About the Digital, From the North, Chinese Contemporary Art. We also programme widely across issues of nature, sustainability, and environment. The Collection supports students, graduates, emerging and established artists through artist development programmes, residencies and collaborations; and reaches audiences through events, exhibitions and more. Read more across the website: artcollection.salford.ac.uk
About Salford Youth Service
The youth service is an informal education service, working with young people aged 11 to 25 years, to ensure every young person in Salford reaches their full potential.
The youth workers support young people’s personal and social development as they move on from childhood to become responsible young adults.
The aims of the youth service are:
To ensure young people to have a say in decisions affecting them and a voice in their community
To improve their health and wellbeing
To support their people’s education, learning and routes to employment and to keep them safe and reduce risk taking behaviour
Each young person is an individual, with different needs and aspirations, so we provide informal activities and youth work programmes, in youth centres, detached work, specialist projects, one to one work and groups, in schools or with other partners.
Our youth workers work alongside young people, building positive relationships based on trust and respect. This enables them to deliver programmes of work that are flexible, and responsive to the needs of young people.
The youth service is based on a commitment to equality and young people’s active participation and empowerment.
About RHS
Since our formation in 1804, the RHS has grown into the UK’s leading gardening charity, touching the lives of millions of people. Perhaps the secret to our longevity is that we’ve never stood still. In the last decade alone we’ve taken on the largest hands-on project the RHS has ever tackled by opening the new RHS Garden Bridgewater in Salford, Greater Manchester, and invested in the science that underpins all our work by building RHS Hilltop – The Home of Gardening Science.
We have committed to being net positive for nature and people by 2030. We are also committed to being truly inclusive and to reflect all the communities of the UK.
Across our five RHS gardens we welcome more than three million visitors each year to enjoy over 34,000 different cultivated plants. Events such as the world famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show, other national shows, our schools and community work, and partnerships such as Britain in Bloom, all spread the shared joy of gardening to wide-reaching audiences.
Throughout it all we’ve held true to our charitable core – to encourage and improve the science, art, and practice of horticulture – to share the love of gardening and the positive benefits it brings.
Open Eye Gallery is developing a national lead on Socially Engaged Photography Practice, (SEPP) including coordinating a national network of SEPP practitioners and photography organisations, supporting international practice development, as well as managing a significant programme of SEPP residencies with a wide range of partners, which currently includes 16 residencies, based in a range of contexts from neighbourhood initiatives, to NHS programmes and Novus, a national education provider in prisons, to one with Energy House, based in the University of Salford. More broadly we develop exhibitions, learning programmes, publications and events in our gallery, and in partner venues locally and internationally, we have a growing digital programme as well as running LOOK Photo Biennial.
In May 2025 our Artist in Residence at the University of Salford Acoustic Labs, Hayley Suviste, presented a 3-part installation as part of Sounds From The Other City. Artist Lizzie King shares her experience of From The River’s Mouth below.
A growing amount of rivers have been granted the legal status of personhood, a legal right to flow, a way for rivers to be protected and a way for them to be honoured. In her installation “From the River’s Mouth’ Hayley Suviste gives the audience a unique way to connect with the River Irwell meeting it at its Salford stretch. The Irwell is a life source that runs 63 km. Many sound artists have previously explored rivers through their horizontal journey, however Suviste gives us the opportunity to experience the Irwell through a series of vertical interactions. As the work progresses down the layers of the Irwell we encounter the perspectives of past, present, and future.
‘From the River’s Mouth,’ makes use of three sonically distinct rooms to explore three different parts of the Irwell’s being and of its timeline.
Anechoic Chamber Photographed by William Rowe
The Anechoic Chamber
We, the audience, are guided into a dark room lit with one blue light and a bouncy floor, the anechoic chamber. Silence. You feel yourself swaying with the movement of other people until everyone goes still.
Shhhhhhhuuuusssssshhhhhhhhhh swoooooooorrrllll
It feels like being in the centre of rushing whirlpool, the sounds move around you gushing and gurgling. Distant sounds of ducks pitter in the background. The gushing dissipates into trickles, a pleasant tonal sound appears feeling like it is coming from a distance. The river’s life dances around the audience. The gurgling and murmurs transport me under the water, I want to sit and drink it in. It lulls the audience bringing a tranquility and a feeling that is almost tactile of having met the Irwell. As I am wishing to drift off with the river 4 minutes is up, the door opens, the sounds stop, we leave for the next room.
The Listening Room
The Listening Room Photographed by William Rowe
The next room we sit in is the listening room. Filled with sofas, bean bags, and 124 speakers, we take a comfortable seat. Projected onto a large screen in front are two videos side by side. One shows us the most vivid blue colours running in the water and the other the pungent orange of the sediment from the bank. We are introduced to a series of fixed frame videos showing different scenes from the river bank. The sound of the river is different this time we are alongside it, hearing noises all around us as if we were sat by the Irwell itself. We see and hear the geese who inhabit this stretch alongside the vivid colours and textures which really are worth celebrating. This time the Irwell bables and tinkles it has a gentler quality now that we are aside it rather than inside it, a loop of synthesised melodies accompany the waters flow. Two different angles of a red balloon caught on branches. The sound of Reggie being called in the distance, a runaway dog. It is an experience that we are more familiar with but one that our attention may not often focus on. A woman singing a folk song drifts in from the left, again we are lulled as tonal loops intermingle with the river’s tinkling. Until the film comes to an end I like other audience members are reluctant to get up from our seats.
The Reverberation Chamber
We step over and into the next darkened room, the reverberation room, where we sit in a semi-circle. Facing us is a bowl which is lit up from three different angles projecting the water onto the floor in petal like sections. The rush of a full river gulps in towards us in deep bass tones. These rumblings make the water dance creating cymatic patterns which are projected in segments onto the floor dancing and swirling around. They are completely captivating as the sounds again surround us from different points in the room; it is reminiscent of walking along the river and standing under the bridge watching the water’s reflections bounce and flitter on the concrete structure above. A clarinet echoes the folk song from the previous room and we hear the familiar sounds that played in the last room start to trickle out. Though deep and bassy in a room that reverberates, the sound feels light and free. The whirling and twirling of the water’s reflections leave us captivated till the final moment.
Close-up in the Reverberation Chamber Photographed by William Rowe
Hayley Suviste has been resident at the University of Salford Acoustic laboratory carrying out a commission to look at the environment. Suviste a composer and sound artist has placed the audience in a series of situations which leave you questioning your own relationship to the river. Many of these left the audience in a sense of calm or entrancement, do we spend this same time at the River Irwell? As this series looks at a sense of passing of time in the rivers life it also questions what the river’s life should look like and what part do our lives play in that?
This performance took place multiple times on 4th May, 2025 as part of Sounds of the City Festival. In the midst of a pulsating, hectic, jubilant atmosphere there was this pocket of quiet, of calm, and of contemplation. In the midst of a party Suviste opened up a type of gulf in which we were able to connect with who we are and who the River Irwell is.
Another artist friend of ours Fiona Sinéad Brehony has written about their own experience of Suviste’s From The River’s Mouth – which you can also read below:
In Spring 2025 we launched an ambitious exhibition of new work by artists Mishka Henner and Emily Speed, in partnership with the Castlefield Gallery, Open Eye Gallery and Energy House Labs. The exhibition is the culmination of 18-month Artist Residencies with Energy House 2.0 at the University of Salford, a period in which the artists have immersed themselves in this world-leading energy performance facility, its cutting-edge research, and the facilities and research of the wider university.
A unique facility, Energy House delivers pioneering research on how carbon neutral and net zero homes, the homes of the future, will be built. Energy House 2.0’s chamber can accommodate two full-sized detached houses and simulate climatic conditions including wind, rain, snow, solar radiation and extreme temperatures. Research at Energy House cuts across science and technology, architecture, design and our rapidly changing climate; the artists’ residencies have taken Henner and Speed on different yet intersecting journeys.
Artist in Residence Yan Wang Preston launches OFFSHOOT at RHS Garden Bridgewater.
Join us at RHS Garden Bridgewater to meet photographer Yan, hear about her residency to date – and find out how you can become a ‘Memory Keeper’ for our magnificent 300 year old tree!
Saturday 21 June – 10:30am to 1pm at RHS Garden Bridgewater Learning Studio £5 entry (refreshments included)
In the historical grounds of RHS Garden Bridgewater stands a magnificent sweet chestnut tree, estimated to be around 300 years old. What vibrant, turbulent and wonderful memories could this tree tell us about our history? What memories does it keep?
Yan Wang Preston, OFFSHOOT Artist in Residence at RHS Garden Bridgewater plans to create an artwork to honour the sweet chestnut’s life, and to retrace and explore its preserved memories – with your help.
On Saturday 21 June 2025 – the summer solstice – Yan will launch the project and host the first memory-collecting event at RHS Garden Bridgewater.
Yan will be in conversation with Josh Corbett, Bridgewater’s arboriculture team manager and self-proclaimed tree enthusiast. They will discuss their respective roles as artist and arborist and focus on how to look after woodlands for the future.
Yan will then present the star of the show, the sweet chestnut, before explaining her idea behind the Memory Keepers project. Anyone who wishes to take part will join a raffle, where each person will be randomly assigned a year between 1720 and 2020.
If you would like to join Yan’s project and become a ‘Memory Keeper’ you will be invited to write a short story (5-10 sentences) inspired by your given year. It does not need to be connected to the tree and can be about any historical event that happened that year, anywhere in the world.
For inspiration you will go home with a beautifully designed folder containing a blank sheet alongside Yan’s photos of the tree and 19th century images too. You can then submit your short story in a stamped addressed envelope addressed to Salford Museum and Art Gallery.
We will gather stories over the next six months, and our Memory Keepers’ stories will eventually form a collaborative artwork celebrating the enduring presence of our sweet chestnut tree.
This will be exhibited at Salford Museum and Art Gallery in 2026/7. Memory Keepers is both a talk and a participatory event. Submitting a story is entirely optional.
OFFSHOOT Artist in Residence programme is a collaboration between University of Salford Art Collection, RHS Garden Bridgewater and Open Eye Gallery Liverpool and is generously supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
The Graduate Scholarship Programme (GSP) is a support scheme open to BA and MA students from the School of Art, Media and Creative Technology, who graduate in 2025
The programme aims to support you to develop a career as an artist / creative practitioner
The main programme runs for 12 months; with mentoring taking place for up to a further 6-8 months.
There are a maximum of 5-6 places which will be awarded through an application and interview
Applications open on 24th March 2025
The deadline is 9am on Monday 28th April 2025
There is no charge to take part in the scheme
About the Programme:
Run by University of Salford Art Collection with Castlefield Gallery, and in collaboration with our professional partners, the Graduate Scholarship Programme was established in 2014 to support artists in the crucial first year and the initial period after graduation. The programme runs for up to 18 months and grants graduates time, resources and the opportunity to develop their practice and shape their future careers within a supportive framework.
We want to encourage artists to remain in Salford and to develop their professional practice within the artist community in the city: the programme is a unique opportunity to further develop professional skills and gain vital industry experience and relationships with benefits lasting beyond the programme.
About the Scholarship:
Scholarship packages are tailored, but can include:
Professional development and advice including coaching, career, practice and professional development sessions, 1-2-1 advisory sessions, studio group crit days, and mentoring
£1000 bursary towards time and expenses to engage with the programme, which may include e.g. materials and travel
Studio space and studio support for 12 months, based at studios including Paradise Works, Hot Bed Press, Islington Mill and Castlefield Gallery New Art Spaces
Research trips regionally and nationally, sometimes including overnight stays and networking
Opportunity to have artwork acquired (via gift) into the University’s permanent Art Collection as a legacy of the programme
In 2024/25, we awarded five places on the scheme, with studio spaces including Islington Mill, Paradise Works and Hot Bed Press. The programme evolves each year as we endeavour to offer opportunities to the graduates we think we can best support. Over 50 graduates have benefitted from the scheme so far.
Click each header below to read more information:
>Eligibility
Eligibility:
The programme is open to University of Salford final year undergraduates from the School of Arts, Media and Creative Technology (who are due to graduate or complete their studies in July 2025) – plus there will be a maximum of one scholarship open to an MA graduate (due to graduate or complete in September 2025). Applicants who will be undertaking further study at the time of the scholarship (e.g. starting an MA in 2025) will not be eligible. Previous scholars will not be eligible.
The programme takes place in Salford and Greater Manchester (as well as UK research trips and some online sessions) and applicants must be able to attend. Further information and guidelines are available below.
>Accessibility
Accessibility:
We aim to remove barriers, bias or discrimination that prevents individuals or groups from realising their potential, and to develop organisational cultures that positively value diversity. If you have access needs and wish to discuss these in relation to the application and interview stage, or the opportunity more broadly, please contact: artcollection@salford.ac.uk
We are committed to equal opportunities and will work with the successful selected applicants to support access requirements through reasonable adjustments during the programme. Where disclosures are made and access needs are identified, this will be discussed in more detail with selected candidates after interview stage.
>Care and Consideration
Care and Consideration:
Please note, we approach the delivery of the programme with the aim of enacting care and consideration for all involved. To this end we operate a zero tolerance policy towards hostile, disrespectful or abusive behaviour towards staff, volunteers, partners and others, in all communications.
How to apply:
Open for applications: from Monday 24th March 2025 Application deadline: by 9am Monday 28th April 2025 Shortlisted applicants: will be interviewed in person on Monday 12th May 2025 Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.
1) Please read the guidance on this page, and in the guidance form (below) 2) Download and complete your application form (below) 3) Prepare an up to date CV (maximum 2 pages) 4) Prepare up to four examples of your work (image, video or audio) as an attachment or weblink 5) Email your form, cv, and examples to: S.A.Parker@salford.ac.uk with the subject line “GSP Application”
All information and guidance, including accepted formats and eligibility, is on this page and in the guidance form download. For any further enquiries, please email: artcollection@salford.ac.uk
Find out more:
In 2024 we awarded five places on the scheme, with studio spaces including Islington Mill, Paradise Works Hot Bed Press, and Castlefield Gallery New Art Spaces. The programme evolves each year as we endeavour to offer opportunities to the graduates we think we can best support. Over 50 graduates have benefitted from the scheme so far. In 2024 we celebrated 10 years of the scheme with our exhibition and programme CATALYST.
Install shot from Between the Earth and the Sky Courtesy of Sam Parker
As a part of Between the Earth and the Sky our team assistant Sam Parker conducted a Q&A session with artist Alex Nelu to better understand his practice and thought process. As part of Arts Council England’s Developing Your Creative Practice grant, Nelu has continued to explore how to make a photographic practice more sustainable in multiple ways; like using photographing digitally rather than using harmful chemicals in a darkroom. Alongside this Nelu shares more information about his background and influences as an artist.
Starting off with a simple one; what equipment do you use? Be it cameras, scanners, other pieces of kit – what’s your go-to equipment bag got inside it?
“I prefer equipment that is lightweight and intuitive, something I can carry comfortably on long walks without it becoming a burden. Cameras are overloaded with menus and settings these days and I don’t enjoy wasting time when I’m out and about. Photography for me is about being present in the landscape, not buried in a screen.
For ‘the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground’, I bought a second hand digital medium format camera which allowed me to capture the detail and depth I was after. The images were printed digitally on a bamboo-based paper, then presented in frames borrowed from the Art Collection, as part of ongoing efforts to test more sustainable approaches in my practice.
In the past I loved working using basic film cameras, either point-and-shoot or SLRs. I prefer to stay clear from any AI features and try to avoid getting lost in technical specs as that often feels very disconnected from the actual act of making images.”
Nelu’s camera in-situ. Courtesy of the artist
I know you’re accustomed to all sorts of processes and methods of producing imagery, so when it comes to Analogue or Digital media, which do you prefer?
“I love analogue photography and worked mostly on film for over a decade. But last year I challenged myself to try a digital workflow, purely because analogue seemed quite unsustainable, especially from my perspective as someone who was working mostly in colour. From the silver and gelatine in the film to the chemistry used in darkroom processing, there’s an obvious environmental impact there. That said, I’m also learning more about the hidden impact of digital, from the mining of rare metals for cameras to the energy-intensive nature of post-production workflows or cloud storage. Neither medium is better than the other in this regard as both come with their own issues, so I am keen to look into this more.
I do miss shooting film, and I’m not ready to part with it forever, that’s for sure. Many artists and creative researchers are actively working on ways to reduce the environmental impact of analogue practice, and I’m keen to see where that leads.”
Alex Nelu the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground (2024) Archival pigment prints on Hahnemühle Bamboo paper
You’re images are always really well put together visually and lead the viewer to think more about the content within the work. How do you approach composition and storytelling within your photographs?
“Stephen Shore suggested that composition is about rearranging the three-dimensional world so it becomes interesting in two dimensions, and I relate to that. Photographic composition can be like solving an equation with multiple variables, and the challenge is to find a balance in the frame; but unlike maths the answer can be very subjective.
When I started studying photography 16 years ago, we had a module on cinema that introduced me to great films. As a teenager, cinematography certainly had a massive impact on me. Films like Paris, Texas, Meek’s Cutoff, and Red Desert still draw me back just for their visuals. I think it’s very important to train your eye by engaging with strong visual references early on and to work on developing an instinct for what makes an image compelling.
As for storytelling in photography, it’s quite different from cinema. You don’t have the same means to guide a narrative, so you work with much less, but to me that’s the beauty of it. Photobooks and exhibitions can function a bit more like films as the artist imposes a sequence, but photography is more suggestive. I love that it leaves space for interpretation to the viewer. I hope my work might allow others to bring their own emotions or experiences into it.
What I’m showing in ‘Between the Earth and the Sky’ is very personal, and it was a bit of a struggle to build the confidence to present it in this shape. Stephanie Fletcher’s input, the curator of the show, made a great difference as they were very supportive from the beginning, and I’m delighted that it’s out there like this.”
As artists we know that unexpected things pop up during the creative process – are there any technical challenges that you frequently face? And how do you overcome them?
“Of course, don’t we all! I sometimes end up on obscure, niche photographic forums trying to solve a problem, but I’ve learned to embrace the challenges rather than search for answers. They can become part of the work itself, whether it’s issues with equipment or process. I rarely set off with a rigid plan or chasing a specific, expected result; that sounds pretty boring to me so I will leave plenty of room for accidents to shape the work.”
Following that then, how big of a role is experimentation in your practice?
Close-up of Alex Nelu’s ‘the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground‘ (2024) Courtesy of Sam Parker
“I guess experimentation sometimes starts with the technical challenges I mentioned above. Often an unexpected accident can open a new path. I like making beautiful images but I’m not really interested in chasing perfection. I’d rather accept and respond to what happens along the way and I believe somehow this approach also ties into finding a more sustainable balance.
Instead of discarding or spending time forcing something, I am actively trying to work with what I have, adapting or rethinking methods, which might reduce waste or energy use. Whether it’s testing techniques or materials, reconsidering workflows, or even letting limitations guide choices, experimentation is fundamental in photographic practice.”
Through this continuous development that you infuse into your practice, how do you think your style has changed over time?
“This work I show in ‘Between the Earth and the Sky’ marks a bit of a jump both visually and thematically from what I’ve done before. Moving to a more rural setting four years ago has inevitably shaped my practice. I spent a lot of time mapping the area, researching its history, figuring out what resonated with me, and eventually learning to embrace its bleakness throughout the year. Alongside that, personal things that were happening my life last year inherently translated in the work, making it more introspective. Walking, observing, and photographing have become more than just a part of my creative process; it was clear that they were also go-to coping mechanisms, ways of working through difficult emotions. Without wanting to say much more, ‘the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground’ is in many ways the product of all the above. The opportunity to exhibit came at the right moment, giving me a chance to pause, take a breath, reflect and reset.
Us photographers can be incredibly stubborn; we resist change, we like to hold on to what feels safe. Staying open to new ways of working and challenging ourselves is essential. I’ve been fortunate to have people around me who taught me to accept that, I very much welcome it nowadays.”
Walking route in which Nelu took some of the images seen in ‘Between the Earth and the Sky‘ Courtesy of the artist.
As artists we’re always trying to improve our practices and how we do things – do you ever seek feedback on your work? And if so, how do you incorporate this feedback going forward?
“Even though I graduated 13 years ago, I still find showing my work in progress daunting. I’ve always been a quiet, shy person, which is why I picked up photography in the first place. It gave me a way to express things without having to explain them. That fear of not being able to articulate what I’m up to is still there and perhaps will always be, but I know how important it is to seek and accept feedback. You can probably work in isolation and make brilliant art, but I feel that sharing it with peers you trust will most likely at least help you get there faster, if not elevate it.
At the moment, I’m working with a few people as part of an Arts Council England Develop Your Creative Practice grant, so I’m slowly getting more comfortable with sharing work in progress and taking feedback on board. But even now, I still get a lump in my throat when it comes to it. That said, it’s been incredibly useful, and I am embracing it more. It’s quite funny because I am never one to shy away from giving feedback when asked.”
Many struggle with getting into the flow of making work as well as talking to others about it – do you have any tips or routines to get into a creative mindset?
A still from a brief video on one of Nelu’s walks.
Courtesy the artist.
“For me, it usually involves walking, browsing photobooks, even looking at old maps. These are the main things that allow my mind to wander. I also find that watching artist talks can be really inspiring. Even better when things don’t happen on a screen.
I also make notes whenever an idea comes up, and I often revisit them, writing them down properly to see if they’re worth pursuing. In my experience, even the smallest snippet can grow into something.
Ultimately, I’d say the key is to find a productive space or workflow where you can focus on your ideas and see what works for you.”
Speaking on creative process – which part of your creative process is your favourite?
“I enjoy being out, that’s the best part for me, and I feel lucky that’s one of the main components of my creative process. For me and many others, photography is about being outside, walking, observing, and responding to a place even in questionable weather.
My least favourite is being in front of a computer but that’s still necessary unfortunately, even though I am seeking new ways to streamline and shorten that, both for my own sanity and to use less energy.”
Your Practice
Close-up shot of Alex Nelu’s ‘the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground‘ (2024) Courtesy of Sam Parker.
We’ve mentioned sustainability a few times already, but how big of a role is sustainability in your practice? And how have you implemented it?
“I’ll admit, I didn’t think much about sustainability until a few years ago when Lizzie King and Gwen Riley Jones ran an amazing programme of workshops and talks at Salford called ‘Sustaining Photography’, supported by the Art Collection and the Sustainability Team. I was already mindful of some things such as trying to produce less waste or buying second-hand equipment, but it made me realise the broader environmental impact of photography. It was a good wake up call.
Right now, I’m testing new approaches as part of a year-long grant on developing a more sustainable photographic practice. I have a sustainability statement on my website outlining the steps I’m currently taking, which I update as I learn more. I believe in being transparent about any positive changes I make, so others can apply or challenge them. Small adjustments across a wider community can add up to a significant positive impact, especially nowadays when we became so desensitized to snapping images on our phones without giving too much consideration to what happens to them afterwards.
Hopefully, I’ll find a carbon-neutral way to publish and distribute my findings next year, but for now, I’m happy to learn more and open conversations, especially in my front facing role at Salford as a Creative Technical Demonstrator. Even if the students might find it annoying sometimes, hopefully, it plants a seed.
Alongside Lizzie King and other academics, I am one of the founding members of the Sustainable Arts Practice Research Group (SAP) in SAMCT, so I actively contribute to interdisciplinary discussions and initiatives aimed at integrating eco-friendly practices within art and design curriculum. Our focus is on reducing environmental impact, promoting sustainability in artistic production, and fostering a culture of ecological responsibility within the academic and creative community.”
Working in this more sustainability focused way, have there been any big shocks in the way you’ve had to change your methods and processes?
“Well, stopping film photography for a bit was painful. At first, I overcompensated by taking too many pictures, something us photographers are guilty of, chasing that fear of missing out. But I started to feel guilty very quickly and finding that balance was so important.
I also had to change the software I was very familiar with, to move away from saving unnecessary duplicates of the same image. Old habits die hard, so it’s been a challenge, but I feel like I’m getting there. Making sustainable choices isn’t always easy, but simple things will make a difference.”
Image from Alex Nelu’s previous commercial photography career. Răzvan Mazilu – Theatre Director/Choreographer/Performer Client – C4US Magazine Courtesy of the artist.
Aside from sustainability, do you think your personal identity or background influences your work? If so, how?
“Everything I put out there is shaped by who I am, where I come from, and where I find myself now. Even though I’m now British, I still feel more Romanian as I lived there far longer than I’ve lived here. That immigrant identity remains a big part of me. It’s probably why nostalgia runs through my work. Perhaps photography for me is a way of processing that sort of emotion, the longing for a place, time or feeling. I often find myself looking for traces of familiarity in an unfamiliar landscape and it’s something I’m drawn to involuntarily. In that way, I think my identity is always present in my work, even if it’s not too explicit.
In my previous life as I often call the time before moving to the UK, I worked as a freelance photographer and a studio assistant, both fast-paced roles that equipped me with some resilience and gave me a strong technical foundation. Commercial work wasn’t always enjoyable, especially with the pressure you feel when you’re doing it in your early twenties. But looking back I’m very grateful for the experience and it equipped me with incredible skills that continue to inform my practice today, that’s for sure.”
Are there any other artists, practitioners, or themes that inspire and influence your practice?
“I was taught by Nicu Ilfoveanu during my BA, whose work is very influential to many Romanian landscape photographers, myself included. When I first moved to the UK, I was fortunate to meet Lizzie King and Craig Tattersall, both incredibly creative and prolific artists.
Since my work is rooted in exploring landscape, its historical context, and how we perceive it, Patrick Keiller has been a significant influence. His Robinson films and The View from the Train, which I read just before the pandemic, influenced my perspective on the intersections of geography, history and narrative.
I find that the outdoor environment itself can help map an emotional landscape. The West Pennine Moors have amazing colours in every season, and even at their bleakest moments, I find it hard not to enjoy being there. The themes I’ve been approaching for this are very personal: dealing with solitude, displacement and adapting to an unfamiliar place, but in a way the work is perhaps about embracing these emotions. By visiting spaces that hold past histories of their own such as disused quarries, reservoirs or the path that was once a Roman road, I contemplate and confront my own journey of relocation and adaptation. There’s just something about walking up there and facing the darkness head-on, like a ritual that becomes part of the work itself.”
How do you start a new project? Is there an extensive plan or do you just begin and roll with what comes?
Close-up shot of Alex Nelu’s ‘the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground’ (2024) Courtesy of Sam Parker.
“I wouldn’t say I start with an extensive plan. If anything, the structure usually takes shape after I’ve already started. My projects usually evolve from something I’m already doing, whether that’s walking, researching, or just following a feeling that something is worth exploring further. If ideas linger in my mind, I try to pursue them and see where that takes me.
This project grew out of the time I spent on the moors after moving here in 2021. It was still very much a pandemic, and I think we all became more aware of how much we rely on being outside when we had to stay in. For me personally, that shift was quite significant, not just in terms of appreciating the landscape but in understanding how being out there affected me emotionally. I started observing, mapping and photographing, and that slowly morphed into a project rather than something I deliberately set out to make.”
Are there any dream projects or collaborations you’d love to pursue in future?
“I’d love to work with other people who have a deep connection to landscape, whether that’s artists, writers, researchers or the local community. I’m particularly interested in long-term projects that allow for a slow, considered engagement with a place-based subject and multiple angles and contributions would only enrich the work. I think I would also enjoy being an artist in residence somewhere with a layered history, I love sites that invites exploration and reinterpretation, whether natural or man-made. Hopefully, I can also find sustainable ways to engage with the communities that inhabit it and make a positive contribution.”
Thinking about the future – how do you see your work evolving in the next few years?
“While my work is deeply personal, I’m interested in expanding my engagement with others through collaborations, residencies, or conversations that bring new perspectives into my process. I can also see my practice becoming more research-driven, perhaps incorporating more data, either historical or scientific while still being quite personal. I imagine my work will continue to explore similar themes, but I hope to find ways to refine my approach, both in terms of sustainability and how I communicate these ideas visually.”
Close-up shot of Alex Nelu’s ‘the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground‘ (2024) Courtesy of Sam Parker.
Plenty of students and other early career artists all want to know how artists they look up to would advise on beginning a career – so, what advice would you give to someone starting out in your field?
“Keep taking pictures every day, it’s the best way to improve. Go see art and artist talks as often as you can. Watch good films. If you’re a student, spend time in the library’s photobook section; if not, visit a bookshop or the local library. Don’t get caught up chasing the best equipment, you don’t need it. Find something that works for you and focus on making work, not collecting gear. It can be a difficult, competitive field so please remember to pause sometimes, take a breath, and remind yourself why you’re doing it. Your work should make you happy and bring you fulfilment, don’t try to please others and don’t let them dictate what your photography should look like or be about. And please try to be mindful about the environmental impact of your work and see if there’s any changes you can make as there might be plenty of actions you can take without compromising your artistic vision or process.”
And finally, the big one – do you think art, and by extension photography, has a specific role in shaping society?
“100%. Photography is such a powerful medium and I believe that studying photography is important, not just for the technical skills but as a way to understand its historical and political impact. While photojournalism can be the most obvious example, documentary and conceptual photography have also been instrumental in questioning structures of power and shifting cultural perspectives. Socially engaged photography is another crucial area where the medium can have a direct impact on communities. Projects that involve collaboration with participants rather than just documentation can empower individuals and challenge narratives.”
Installation shot of Alex Nelu’s ‘the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground‘ (2024) Courtesy of Sam Parker
