Artists sought to celebrate work of pioneering £10m centre in Leicester
A groundbreaking hub where space exploration meets the arts and humanities is giving artists an incredible opportunity to celebrate its research in art form.
A groundbreaking hub where space exploration meets the arts and humanities is giving artists an incredible opportunity to celebrate its research in art form.
The £10m Leverhulme Centre for Humanity and Space (LCHS) is the first centre to examine space through the lens of the social sciences, arts and humanities and is exploring how space is governed, represented and experienced and who benefits from space exploration.
Officially launched last month at Space Park Leicester, which is part of the University of Leicester, the centre wants to hear from Creative Artists who are interested in applying for its new Creative Artist(s) in Residence scheme which includes up to £6,000 of funding.
Andrew Futter, Director of the Leverhulme Centre for Humanity & Space said:
“This residency offers a unique opportunity for artists to collaborate with researchers working in space, across the social sciences, arts and humanities at LCHS, Space Park Leicester, the Attenborough Arts Centre and further afield.
“Our research is already looking at topics as diverse as the medieval history of comets, understanding sustainability and responsibility in outer space governance, developing legal frameworks for outer space, anthropologies of space start-up companies, and studies to support positive life-experiences for long-distance astronauts, nuclear-space nexus and queer/feminist studies of space media.
“We are looking for a Creative Person in Residence who will complement these existing interests and interpret, or be inspired by, our work with a form of art.”
LCHS is seeking applications from practising artists or creative producers, preferably who are local to the East Midlands, whose work is inspired by the centre’s research themes of humanity and space and who can develop new work during the residency.
Artists will be invited to create an artwork, installation, performance, documentary, film, game, interactive or digital experience, or other creative work that will be displayed during or following the residency. LCHS will also encourage the successful applicant to exhibit their work in wider contexts during or after the residency.
LCHS, which received a record £10m investment from the Leverhlume Trust, plans to offer the residency annually, with the first residency running between February 2027 and January 2028. Up to £6,000 will be available to each successful applicant to support artist fees, travel, residency expenses and production and materials costs for their final artwork.
Residencies can last from one to 12 months. The centre will not provide a studio or desk space but successful artists will be invited to LCHS events to engage with its research team.
The deadline for applications is midnight on Sunday, October 11. To find out more, visit here or download the PDF below.
To apply, please either complete the application online here or download and complete the below Word application form and return to: humanityandspace@leicester.ac.uk.
Main image: Art on display at Space Park Leicester
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