Artist in Residence Programme. Applications Open For 2025
IOU has created a rolling 6 month opportunity for artists to live, work and develop their creative practice at the IOU Creation Centre Hostel, Hebden Bridge
IOU Creation Centre and The Whitaker
Live-In Artist in Residence Opportunity (AIR)
Are you ready to push boundaries, immerse yourself in creativity, and shape something extraordinary? IOU and The Whitaker invite interdisciplinary artists (at any stage in their career) to join us as IOU Creation Centre live-in Artist in Residence at our Hostel in Hebden Bridge.
Location: IOU Creation Centre Hostel, Hebden Bridge
Residency Length: Two opportunities of 4-6 months each
Start Date: March 2025 – July 2025 and July 2025-January 2026
Deadline: 12 Jan 2025 (12pm)
We are excited to announce two new Artist in Residency opportunities for two UK-based artists to explore making artworks at the intersection of contemporary art, engineering, technology and landscape.
IOU Creation Centre and The Whitaker have teamed up to offer this opportunity. Taking inspiration from both IOU and The Whitaker’s archives and collections, successful artists will spend time developing their practice to make something new that will be presented at IOU Creation Centre or our Hostel and also at The Whitaker.
This is a chance to live rent and bill-free in one of the UK’s most beautiful and inspiring locations while exploring your practice, developing new ideas, and becoming part of IOU’s renowned creative ecosystem.
Residency aim:
- Offer artists time and space to develop their practice
- Encourage artists to to take inspiration from 50 years of IOU and The Whitaker collection
- To enrich and expand experiments with interdisciplinary art, engineering, technology and landscape
- Inspire audiences to engage with art to enhance locality and wellbeing
- Provide an opportunity to present at IOU at 50 and The Whitaker
About IOU Creation Centre
Designing the future through contemporary art
IOU is a pioneering Creation Centre based in Calderdale, positioned at the intersection of contemporary art, engineering, technology and landscape. Our vision is to inspire originality and empower artists, participants, and audiences to create innovative, relevant art that sparks imagination and transforms communities.
We are committed to inclusivity, creating an environment where diverse voices collaborate to shape a sustainable and equitable future.
Our Values
- Inventive: Encouraging bold ideas and innovative creative practice
- Original: Supporting artists who explore fresh, imaginative ways of thinking
- Adaptable: Remaining flexible and responsive to the needs of our communities
- Curious & Brave: Inspiring collaboration and co-creation through curiosity and courage
- Intersectional: Promoting inclusivity and addressing inequalities in the arts
- Generous Generation: Sharing expertise, resources, and opportunities to nurture the next generation of artists
IOU is dedicated to using art as a catalyst for education, inspiration, and co-design, while driving forward environmental sustainability and equity. Our long-term vision is to establish Calderdale as a vibrant hub for interdisciplinary art, connecting local creativity to the global stage.
Nestled in the stunning Calderdale landscape, IOU offers unique opportunities for artistic exploration through our studio, gallery, and workshop spaces at Dean Clough, Halifax, alongside residencies at our IOU Hostel, Hebden Bridge.
Our facilities include outdoor gardens and woodlands, alongside access to expert mentorship, specialist equipment, and collaborative networks with partners such as The Whitaker and Dean Clough Mill.
About The Whitaker
The Whitaker is a forward-facing institution that aims to develop inclusive, vibrant communities that thrive within our natural environment.
Our unique position as a museum and art gallery enable us to bring together contemporary art with history and heritage to showcase often challenging exhibitions. We work to strengthen people’s rights and entitlements in terms of cultural access, education and participation in their community.
We are concerned with the sustainability of communities, the environment, local industries and the economy. We draw on local heritage to help imagine, design and begin to create the Valley we want for people and nature.
- Two residencies from March-July 2025 & from July-Jan 2026
- Open to experimental artists whose practise resonates with IOU’s interdisciplinary ethos that fuses contemporary art, engineering, technology and landscape
- Live full-time in a self-contained section of our Hebden Bridge Hostel, equipped with everything you need to focus on your creative work.
The opportunity is two-fold:
- It provides space and time to develop your practice and an art project (Artist in Residence)
- It requires you to embed within the IOU Hostel full-time to work as Hostel Assistant for up to 12 hours of paid work a week
What’s on offer:
- Freedom to Create: Develop and present an original art project inspired by your time with us and IOU’s ethos in art, engineering, technology and landscape
- Inspiration: Unique access to IOU’s archive and The Whitaker’s collection to stimulate inspiration and imagination
- Expert Support: Tap into the expertise of IOU’s Creation Centre team, with access to our 10,000 square feet of Studio, Gallery, and Workshop spaces in Halifax. Also tap into support from The Whitaker’s team, including support from the Curator and 1:1s with the Director
- Financial Support: Earn a monthly fee (based on Real National Living Wage up to £500 a month) for up to 12 hours of hostel work per week supporting the IOU hostel events
- Exposure: Present your work to the public and engage with audiences through a paid workshop at IOU Creation Centre
- Showcase: Subject to funding, showcase at the IOU Hostel or IOU Creation Centre Studio and/or at The Whitaker in their Corridor Gallery
- Rent-free, bill-free accommodation: A private double ensuite bedroom and kitchenette, plus shared access to communal spaces, including the hostel kitchen, lounge, snug, gardens, and woods
- Artistic resources: Studio access, tools, rehearsal spaces, and a £300 materials budget
- Creative collaboration: The chance to embed yourself in IOU’s world and contribute to our ethos of experimental, innovative contemporary art
- Presentation fee and costs: Subject to funding a presentation and fee budget
We’re seeking UK-based artists who:
- Are ready to take risks, innovate, and produce original work that sparks curiosity
- Are at any point in your creative career and able to benefit from the opportunity to relocate to Hebden Bridge for 4-6 months
- Can embed themselves fully in the residency, balancing creative development with up to 12 hours of paid hostel shift work weekly
- Have an interest in working outdoors creating site-specific work; and/or an interest in exploring themes tied to IOU’s history and 50th-anniversary celebrations in 2026 in their residency; and/or an interest in exploring AI in their residency; and/or an interest in making light art in their residency
Equality, diversity and inclusion
This opportunity is open to artists at any career stage and from all backgrounds, including those traditionally underrepresented in the arts.
IOU Limited and The Whitaker is committed to promoting equal opportunities. You and any job applicants will receive equal treatment regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation
By embracing and committing to an inclusive workplace and ethos IOU and The Whitaker will empower artists and participants to be brave, embrace originality and create relevant and innovative art fuelled by imagination and curiosity. We believe that a commitment to inclusivity creates an environment where diverse voices collaborate to influence, co-design, and transform communities of the future.
We seek to locate and amplify underrepresented voices and perspectives on responsible artworks to promote a positive culture, one that celebrates difference, challenges prejudice and ensures fairness and respect.
Access Requirements
If you have access needs and wish to discuss how the opportunity can support you, please contact our Engagement Producer, Lydia Murray (lydia.murray@ioutheatre.org). To ensure that we are aware of and responsive to the access needs of selected artists, all applicants are also invited to submit an access rider when applying. Please email Lydia a document with your bespoke needs. See an example of an access rider here.
As Artist in Residence:
- Develop and present an artistic project that reflects your residency experience at the IOU Creation Centre and The Whitaker
- Lead a paid creative workshop, sharing your practice with participants at IOU Studio or Hostel
As Live-In Hostel Assistant:
- Support the hostel through general housekeeping, admin, and guest interaction, becoming an integral part of IOU’s hostel community
- Committed to fulfilling up to 12 hours of paid hostel duties weekly including two on -call shifts (this will be paid at the Real National Living Wage)
- Demonstrate strong organisational and hospitality skills
- Flexible and adaptable to handle varied responsibilities
- Deal with arrivals, customer requests and queries
- Provide a warm welcome to all guests
Please note, this is a full-time live-in opportunity and has previously been suitable for people who can give up 4-6 months to concentrate on this opportunity. Artists from any background are welcome and the nature of the opportunity is to live full-time and embed within the IOU Creation Centre, hostel world with R&D visits to The Whitaker.
Artistic Criteria:
- Demonstrates an interest in IOU’s interdisciplinary approach to contemporary art, engineering, technology and landscape
- Shows originality, ambition, and innovation in their artistic proposal
- Utilises IOU’s and The Whitaker’s archives and collections for inspiration
- Presents a clear plan to create a new, experimental project during the residency
- Draws inspiration from IOU’s past productions, tying into the 50th anniversary in 2026
Desirable Artistic Criteria:
- Explores outdoor, site-specific, AI, or light-based works
- Wants to embrace the following as part of the residency: Risk taking and innovation; develop new partnerships; document their time and practice
General Criteria:
- Open to diverse backgrounds, and underrepresented groups encouraged
- Open to artists based locally, regionally and nationally
- Relevant experience in creating within their chosen art medium
- Ability to embed within IOU Creation Centre and hostel operations
- Confident in customer service and teamwork
- Technologically competent, including use of social media and digital tools
Presentation & Engagement Criteria:
- Presents a project (in progress or completed) at the end of the residency at IOU and/or The Whitaker
- Capable of delivering an engaging creative workshop for up to 25 participants
Applicants must submit their application, along with supporting material (portfolio and CV) by 12pm,
12 January 2025:
Please download and complete the application form (HERE). In the application please provide:
- A short statement of practice
Introduce your work, practice, art form and approach to us (100 words/700 characters max.) - A short statement (max 300 words) detailing:
- Why this opportunity excites you
- How it aligns with your practice and career goals
- Proposed project idea
Describe a description of your proposed project or idea that you want to explore during the residency and how it responds to the open call and our criteria (300 words/2000 characters max.) - Experience, skills and resources
Share with us the relevant experience, skills and resources you have in place to undertake the residency, if any (300 words/2000 characters max.) - How you meet our Criteria
Outline how you meet the criteria of this open call (300 words/2000 characters max.)
Supporting Material
- Portfolio (10MB max.) including details of 3 previous artworks with text descriptions for each (100 words max.) along with either images (6 max. overall) or for moving-image and sound works links to YouTube, Vimeo or Soundcloud files (10 minutes max. overall)
- CV (2-sided A4 page max.)
Please email your application form and supporting material to lydia.murray@ioutheatre.org
Please contact Lydia if you require alternative application methods
- Call for Submissions: 6 December – 12 January 2025
- Deadline: 12 Jan 2025 (12pm)
- Interviews: W/C 17 Feb 2025
- Residency Periods: March–July 2025 & July–Jan 2026
Georgia D’Silva, Artist in Residence 2024
‘The six incredible months I spent living & working with IOU Creation Centre was exactly the opportunity I needed after graduation- a period when I felt a new sense of freedom but also lacked direction. During my residency, I led workshops, gave artist talks, assisted in an IOU production, exhibited alongside other artists in the CultureDale artist showcase, and even held a solo exhibition.
These are experiences I could never have imagined myself having a year ago!
The residency was marked by my close connection with the IOU team, whose expertise in blending contemporary art and technology helped elevate my work beyond what I had initially envisioned. I left with a stronger sense of my own practice, a better understanding of myself and how I work, and a new confidence in finding my place in the big art world’
Current IOU Artist in Residence – esK Stewart Knights
esK (Stewart Knights) is a multi-disciplinary artist from Little Hulton, Greater Manchester, whose practice includes painting, spoken-word poetry and sculpture. Using these mediums he explores local history and contemporary culture through semi-abstracted scenes, poems and structures which he shares at exhibitions and online.
“During this residency opportunity at the IOU Hostel in Hebden Bridge and Creation Centre in Halifax, I am excited to be working with the IOU team to develop a series of Cairns (stacked stones) which muse upon the histories and topography of the area, starting with an exploration into communication in Hebden using found and gifted objects, sourced locally”
Georgia D’Silva
No.182 Exhibition
An interdisciplinary installation encapsulating Georgia’s experience as Artist in Residence at IOU Creation Centre Hostel, giving audiences an immersive journey into the heart of a community.
Titled No.182, reflects the number of days Georgia has lived in the Calder Valley community. It will be exhibited in the Hostel’s Snug, against the stunning backdrop of Nutclough Woods, and features a collection of six new dioramas depicting local domestic spaces.
Created from reclaimed cardboard, clays and acrylics, each diorama is a replica of a home in Hebden Bridge.
Until 27 November 2024
IOU Creation Centre Hostel, Hebden Bridge, HX7
Georgia D'Silva - 2024
Georgia creates small-scale dioramas, dealing with notions of memory and place. Her final project as Artist in Residence is a interdisciplinary installation featuring six dioramas of homes in Hebden Bridge " The six incredible months I spent living & working with IOU Creation Centre was exactly the opportunity I needed after graduation- a period when I felt a new sense of freedom but also lacked direction. During my residency, I led workshops, gave artist talks, assisted in an IOU production, exhibited alongside other artists in the Culturedale artist showcase, and even held a solo exhibition. These are experiences I could never have imagined myself having a year ago!'
Beth Cockcroft - 2023
'I saw the residency as an opportunity to devote my time to creating without so many external pressures, and reconnect with and reflect on what inspires me. I also saw it as an opportunity to reconnect with the local area- a place I grew up in before moving around the country- as I truly think Calderdale has its own unique culture and sense of community.'
Alicja Mrozowska 2022 -2023
"Working with IOU as Artist in Residence has been an amazing experience that has progressed my work and my confidence as an artist. Acquainting myself with Hebden Bridge and Halifax has prompted me to reflect on who I am as an artist, what the essence of my work is and observe things from the perspective of the audience through meeting guests, studio visitors and people in the community. The studio and hostel spaces are unique ecosystems with a great team, that have inspired me and encouraged new ideas to form and grow'
Charlotte Mellor Meacham 2022
Charlotte is a freelance multi-disciplinary artist, based between Hebden Bridge and Portugal. Within her art practice, she likes to use a variety of mediums. These range from more traditional approaches, such as analogue photography and printing, making and sculpture or sewing and illustration, through to more digital work for her visuals, animation or her posters and design work. Alongside this, she also makes and sells her own designs of handmade headdresses and through the summer, while working as the IOU Hebden Bridge Hostel artist in residence, she customised a series of headphones for a sound/art project, with the idea that the guests of the Hostel could use them for ‘silent discos’
Artists in Residence Final Work
Our first Artist in Residence, Charlotte Meller Meecham, completed her art and sound project at the IOU Hebden Bridge Hostel and the result are these beautiful customised headphones that our Hostel guests can use for their own exclusive silent disco.
“I love to make things that balance both function and form, plus I have years of experience making headdresses for festivals and events, so I was thrilled to be able to harness these interests and complete a project that will hopefully stay a unique feature of the IOU Hostel for years to come.”
To complete her time as Artist in Residence Alicja produced a stunning painting that is now displayed in the Hostel reception. She is also developing a programme of work to exhibit at IOU Walkway Gallery for the Calderdale Year of Culture 2024
“I feel that the hostel reception piece is an example of my confidence growing. I have elevated my painting technique to a larger scale, incorporated new ways of working with paper, used found materials and simplified the subject matter, content with saying less. Moving forward I’m excited for new challenges, continuing to learn and working with IOU in the future”
Launched in April 2022 the Hostel is a unique way for IOU to engage with local residents and visitors to Calderdale and to support artists, creatives and the cultural ecology of the region.
With 14 bedrooms, sleeping up to 40 the independent vegetarian Hostel is set in stunning woodland and gardens in the vibrant town of Hebden Bridge, with excellent transport links to Leeds and Manchester. The hostel welcomes solo travellers and groups all year round and is available for exclusive hire for retreats, workshops, meetings and team building events.
The Hostel is not for profit, with surplus reinvested into the IOU artist community and hostel programme.