Rules and Guidelines

ELIGIBILITY

This exploratory drawing residency welcomes artists of all disciplines, from sculptors to animators, and at all stages of their careers, with some form of established drawing practice, although not necessarily life drawing.

This opportunity is open to professional artists from across the UK and internationally, including students enrolled in post-graduate study.

Applicants must NOT have previously participated in past BODY and PLACE residencies.

Selected artists must be available to attend in person at Owlpen Manor from 1 – 5 June 2026. Those travelling from afar can arrive on Sunday. Accommodation, meals and materials are fully funded during this residency (travel expenses are not included).

Images of past work must include a majority of drawings although not necessarily of the body, to include architectural and exploratory drawings. Drawing does not need to form the major part of the applicant’s practice.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Please submit the following via the online application only:

1. up to 5 images of recent works in JPEG format (max 2MB) in any medium but to include at least 3 drawings titled with artist’s name, title of work, year of work, medium, dimensions (h x w x d)
2. an up to date supporting curriculum vitae as a PDF
3. a short description of why drawing and place are important to you and why you would like to undertake the residency
4. the contact details of two referees
5. completed online entry form
6. A voluntary contribution of £20 towards theCOLAB’s administration fees only.

SELECTION PROCESS

The closing deadline for online submission is Tuesday 3rd February 2026 at midnight. All entries must be submitted via the online entry form.

From the online submissions and from a list of artists put forward by the panel, the jury will create a shortlist from which it will invite up to 10 artists to participate in the residency. The successful artists will be announced by Tuesday 10th March 2026. There will be no interview conducted for the residencies, but the panel will be delighted to give feedback to the unsuccessful shortlisted artists, if requested.

The participating artists will be invited to evaluate the impact of the residencies on their work.

AGREEMENT TO THE CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

All artists submitting work online agree to comply with the eligibility criteria and accept that where these are not met, their application will not be accepted.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND COPYRIGHT

All submitting artists confirm that they hold all intellectual property rights in the work submitted and that they have obtained prior written approval for the use of any third party copyrighted material contained in the submitted work.

If selected for the residency, artists hereby grant theCOLAB an irrevocable licence to take their own, use my images and publish those images whether in photographic or filmic form of me and/or my work/work in progress during the BODY and PLACE residency, and to reproduce or adapt any such images for education, promotion, fundraising and publicity without payment of any fee or the need to seek further consent. This might include (but is not limited to), the irrevocable right to publish images on theCOLAB’s websites and Social Media platforms, in future publications, press releases and funding applications, subject to the correct accreditation, to be supplied by me.

While the copyright of all images taken by theCOLAB shall remain with theCOLAB, selected artists are free to publish those images on their websites, etc.

While photography/filming may include images of the processes and drawings produced during the residency, the selected artist  remains the holder of copyright in my drawings and the sole owner of moral rights over my drawings.

OWNERSHIP OF WORK

The artist retains title to and ownership of any work(s) created during the residencies and is responsible for taking it away and storing it at the end of the residencies.

DONATION/SALE OF WORK

During the residency, theCOLAB selects one drawing from each artist per day, with the artist’s agreement, to keep for theCOLAB’s archive and future publication which will document the BODY and PLACE programme in its entirety. One drawing is donated to the Owlpen Manor Collection.

Should the opportunity arise after the residencies are complete for the sale of any work produced during or as a result of BODY and PLACE, 15% of the proceeds are to be applied for the continuation of the work of theCOLAB.

DATA PROTECTION

In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 (and all other relevant Data Protection legislation), the organiser of BODY and PLACE (theCOLAB) and its Project Managers will hold the personal data of artists supplied on the Entry Form securely. The data will only be used in the process of administering the BODY and PLACE residencies and will not be transferred to any third party not directly involved in this project. Data pertaining to those whose work is not selected will be held for up to 12 months, after which this information will be destroyed by all parties.

AGREEMENT TO THE CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

By entering BODY and PLACE, artists are agreeing to all of the conditions of entry. theCOLAB’s decision on all matters pertaining to the above is final. theCOLAB reserves the right, at any time, and from time to time to amend, modify, vary, or discontinue the terms of this competition.

PROMOTER OF THE COMPETITION

The award is operated by the theCOLAB, Exchange at Somerset House, New Wing Strand, London, WC2R 1LA, England.

Help & FAQs

Can I attend selected days on any of the residencies?

No, you must be able to commit to attending the whole of each residency applied for.

What will I be expected to pay for?

You will be expected to pay for travel to and from the residencies both within and outside London and for any international travel.  theCOLAB will provide meals during the residency.

If I’m travelling from abroad or have a long journey, can I arrive early?

Yes, provisions can be made for participants to arrive on the evening of Sunday 31st of May if necessary.

Will I be expected to provide materials?

No, materials are provided.  You are welcome to bring your own drawing materials if you would like to.

Can I withdraw once I have accepted a residency place?

No.  A substantial investment in each artist is made for BODY and PLACE and a firm commitment to the residency is required.  If unforeseen circumstances result in you not being able to attend, please notify as soon as possible and we will attempt to fill the place.

Will all the participating artists be selected from the Open Call?

The majority of artists will be selected from the open call, with some places offered to invited artists.

Is there a day-to-day programme for the residencies and will I be required to contribute?

Yes, there is a programme for each day of each of the residencies.   No formal contributions are required.

Will there be an exhibition at the end of the residencies?

There may be an informal on-site exhibition at the end of the residency.  This is a process residency so no formal exhibition or finished work is envisaged.

Will theCOLAB be able to assist with funding applications?

Yes, theCOLAB can provide a letter of support and confirmation of selection for a funding application.  It is not in a position to commit to joint funding applications.

When will I hear if I have been shortlisted?

We will not be publishing a list of the shortlisted artists.

When will I hear if I have been selected for BODY and PLACE?

The announcement of the selected artists will be made by Tuesday 10 March 2026 via email and on theCOLAB website and social media.

What happens after being selected?

Following the announcement on Tuesday 10 March 2026, the artists will be sent an outline of programme and expectations of the residencies and asked to confirm attendance.

Is feedback provided?

The panel will be delighted to give feedback to the unsuccessful shortlisted artists if requested.

I cannot upload my images, what should I do?

Check that each of your image files 2MB or less and that it is a JPEG file format.  If you still encounter problems, please contact us using the form on the contact us page, e-mail info@thecolab.art.

I want to apply but I am not able to make the £20 contribution. Can I ask for a waiver?

Yes, please email info@thecolab.art to request this.

If you are unsure about any aspect of the application process, please contact info@thecolab.art prior to submission.

Terms and Conditions

1. The proposals submitted must be entirely the entrant’s original idea and creation and they must not infringe someone else’s copyright or other intellectual property rights. The submission must be lawful, it must not be offensive, obscene, racist, insulting, discriminating or otherwise objectionable and it must not contain any form of advertising.
2. The competition shall close on Tuesday 3rd February 2026 at midnight.
3. Each artist can apply for any or all of the residencies (if they have not previously been on the BODY and PLACE residency). All applications must be made by submitting the online application form. Applications plus payment must be received by the closing date specified. No responsibility can be accepted for entries which are incomplete, delayed, damaged, wrongly delivered or not received for whatever reason.
4. By submitting an application, the entrant promises that all of the information comprised in the application is correct. The entrant also promises to comply with these rules and any other commission requirements specified.
5. Entrants grant BODY and PLACE and theCOLAB the unrestricted right (without royalty) to reproduce images of submitted artworks in any publication in connection with the BODY and PLACE project.
6. Before and during the residencies, the artists, where possible, will be expected to actively take part in the social media and campaign by supplying content for interviews, and where required video pieces. The artists consent to the use of any interview material for a future publication.
7. The participating artists may be expected to participate in an evaluation programme and possibly panel discussions or events to be arranged.
8. The participants are expected to sign agreements governing the conditions applicable to the residencies and theCOLAB reserves the right to remove the artist from the shortlist or withdraw the participants application if the relevant agreement is not signed or if the agreement is breached.
9. In all matters arising in connection with the commission, the jury/theCOLAB’s decision shall be final.
10. theCOLAB reserves the right to cancel this award or alter these rules if it considers that it has good reason to do so.
11. These rules are governed by English law and any disputes will be decided only by the courts of the United Kingdom.

Contact Details

For all enquiries, please contact:

info@thecolab.art

Instagram
theCoLAB: @thecolab.art 

#bodyandplace #lifedrawing

Partners and Sponsors

The BODY and PLACE project is generously supported by private philanthropists and patrons who wish to remain anonymous. theCOLAB wholeheartedly thanks Owlpen Manor and its team for inviting the artists to discover the house and its collections and giving liberal access to its grounds.

theCOLAB is hugely grateful to members of the panel for sharing their extensive expertise, valuable time and for supporting drawing as a relevant, exciting and pivotal contemporary practice.