WSA students selected for British Council Venice Fellowships Programme 2026

The fellowship provides a unique opportunity for artists and creatives in the early stages of their careers to spend a month in Venice during the world’s most important art and architecture biennales.

Delia Crowe (Principal Teaching Fellow – Department of Fashion and Textiles) said “We are delighted to celebrate the outstanding achievement of our two students, Ellen and Gretchen, who have been selected for the prestigious British Council Venice Fellowships Programme 2026. Their success reflects exceptional talent, dedication, and creative ambition, and we look forward to seeing how this opportunity further develops their practice.”

Ellen Gillett said “I'm excited and very grateful to have this wonderful opportunity to meet creative people from all over the world, spend dedicated time with Lubaina Himid's work, and develop my practice in such a rich and supportive environment.

“When I am there, I aim to build on the work I have been making on the MA Fine Art course, using video photomontage techniques to create new views of spaces or activity. I will attempt to discover new ways of looking at Venice, capturing the distinct experience that invigilators have of a city that is so instantly recognisable and so often depicted in art, film, and other disciplines.”

Gretchen Gao said "Through the fellowship, I hope to gain first-hand insight into how translation operates within one of the world’s most significant international art exhibitions. By observing curatorial practices in Venice and conducting on-site research, I aim to deepen my understanding of how language shapes visitor experience and to develop approaches that can inform more inclusive exhibition design in my future curatorial practice.”

Follow Ellen Gillett on Instagram and at her website.