£17,400 Design Researchers in Residence
- Organization: The Design Museum
- Type: Fellowship
- Location: United Kingdom
- Deadline: September 6, 2026
- Funding: Fully Funded
The Design Museum in London runs this residency through Future Observatory, its national research programme for the green transition, delivered in partnership with UKRI's Arts and Humanities Research Council. Four designers and researchers at the start of their careers each receive a bursary of £11,400, a commissioning budget of £6,000 and a dedicated studio at the museum, working at least two days a week from November 2026 to June 2027. The 2026/27 theme is Grown, covering materials cultivated with living organisms such as algae, fungi, yeast and natural fibres, and the finished research goes on free public display at the museum. **What you get:** - A bursary of £11,400 to support career development and fund the resident's own practice, issued in agreed stages on appointment - A commissioning budget of £6,000 that goes directly towards producing the work shown at the end of the residency - A dedicated studio space at the Design Museum in Kensington, London - Mentorship, crits and skill-sharing sessions drawing on a network of external experts and established design researchers - Access to the Design Museum's learning, exhibitions, estates and curatorial teams - Work presented in a free public display at the Design Museum from June to September 2027 - An accompanying print catalogue promoting each resident's work - Production costs for the showcase and the presentation of the work are managed by the Design Museum **What you'll do:** - Develop an independent design research project responding to the 2026/27 theme, Grown - Commit at least two days per week across the residency period, working from the Design Museum one day a week - Move through concept development, fieldwork and production phases - Take part in networking, press interviews, events, online resources and the museum's public and learning programme - Supply information and visual content documenting the commission for press, marketing and online content - Possibly contribute to a material lab rethinking the Design Museum's collections gallery **Key dates:** - Applications opened Thursday 30 July 2026 at 10:00 - Applications closed Sunday 6 September 2026 at 11:59pm UK time - Shortlisted applicants interviewed in London or by video call, week commencing Monday 21 September 2026 - Selected researchers notified week commencing 28 September 2026 - Programme begins week commencing 12 October 2026 - Residency period November 2026 to June 2027 - Grown display open to the public June 2027 to September 2027 **More information:** - Full eligibility, entry requirements and timeline are in the Call for Entries PDF: https://futureobservatory.org/files/futureobservatory_drirgrown_2026_27.pdf - The Design Museum's own open call page for this cycle: https://designmuseum.org/learning-and-research/design-museum-research/future-observatory/design-researchers-in-residence/design-researchers-in-residence-202627-open-call - Application enquiries: grants_futureobservatory@designmuseum.org - The 2025/26 cohort's display, Mineral, ran 13 June to 20 September 2026: https://futureobservatory.org/programme/exhibitions/design-researchers-in-residence-mineral
