Discover Bucks Museum invites applications for the Muir Trust Artist in Residence 2026, a unique opportunity for an artist working in non-digital media to develop new work inspired by the museum’s collections and exhibitions.
In 2026, Discover Bucks Museum will present a major exhibition exploring three Saxon burial sites, revealing extraordinary stories of Buckinghamshire’s past. The residency will run alongside this exhibition, offering the selected artist the chance to respond creatively to the themes, objects and time-period on show. It will also be an opportunity to share your artistic process with visitors, allowing them to see and experience the full artistic process.
We are looking for an established artist in:
• Metalwork/Silversmith/Jeweller – inspired by Saxon craftsmanship, creating contemporary pieces influenced by brooches, buckles or weapon fittings.
• Textile artist/weaver – exploring Saxon textiles (recreating patterns or textures)
• Ceramicist/Potter – responding to Saxon pottery forms, stories and decoration
• Painter/printmaker – creating contemporary interpretations of Saxon stories, symbols or changing landscapes.
• Installation artist – exploring themes of burial, identity, the afterlife in Saxon culture, reimagining the archaeological process itself.
The artist will produce an assemblage of work which will resonate with our visitors from Buckinghamshire and beyond.
The residency will be based in Aylesbury for 20 days between 27 April and 31 May 2026. The artworks will then be exhibited in a solo selling show at the museum from 6 June to 12 July 2026. The artist will have a dedicated workspace in the museum throughout the residency.
During the residency the artist will:
(a) be at work in an open studio where visitors can observe and ask questions
(b) run a workshop for adults
(c) give a public talk
An award of £3,500 will be paid, plus an allowance for expenses.
Deadline for applications is noon on Friday 9 January 2026.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited for interview on Monday 9 February 2026.
Interested? More information and an application form are available here
Any queries, please contact: Nina Glencross Head of Collections and Keeper of Social History [email protected]
