Welcome
Based in London’s Bedford Square, the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art is an educational charity and research institute that supports new ways of understanding British art history and culture.
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Sir Brinsley Ford Collection of Books Acquired and Fully Catalogued
Second collection of books generously donated by Sir Brinsley’s son, Augustine catalogued and available to consult.
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What Is Research Now?
Join us at the Paul Mellon Centre for a series of festivals, events, and activities from summer 2025 to summer 2026.
Events
We run a thriving programme of events both in person and online. These events are geared to scholars, students and all those with a general interest in British art. They offer you the chance to engage with an extraordinary variety of topics, ideas and thinkers.
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link19 March 2025
Research Seminar
A Radical Alternative Within British Romanticism: The Foggo Brothers’ Parga (1822)
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link26 March 2025
Research Seminar
Reframing the British Quilt: Living Labour and Art Historical Memory
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link27 March 2025
Reading Group
Exhibition Histories and Personal Memories
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link4 April 2025
Workshop
Unfolding the Sarong: Batik Workshop
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See More Events
Read about all upcoming events, including lectures, film screenings, parties and more.
Dr Narbi Price (centre) and the Museums Northumberland collections team work on the exhibition Coalface Drawers
supported by a Curatorial Research Grant.
Grants & Fellowships
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linkFunding Opportunities for Individuals
Support your research at any career stage with grants and fellowships from £2,000 to £60,000.
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linkFunding Opportunities for Organisations
Access grant funding to enhance curatorial projects, events, conservation initiatives, and collaborative research at your organisation.
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linkRecipients of Paul Mellon Centre Funding
In the last two decades, we have provided support for over 2,200 projects. Explore more via the lists of funding recipients.
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link360Giving
We believe in transparency and accountability. That's why we publish our grant data through 360Giving. Explore how our funding impacts the sector and drives research.
Hew Locke’s “The Procession”
Responding to Locke’s remarkable installation, we commissioned the filmmaker Jérome Monnot to collaborate with nine scholars and curators, and with the artist himself, to make a series of short films about “The Procession”.
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linkHew Locke: “The Procession”
Hew Locke discusses his process of creating a procession artwork for the Duveen galleries at Tate Britain.
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linkSria Chatterjee: Climate and Colonialism
Sria Chatterjee discusses how Hew Locke explores colonialism and climate change through the imagery of British and Dutch plantation cultures.
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linkMark Hallett: Activating “The Death of Major Peirson”
Mark Hallett considers how “The Procession” engages with John Singleton Copley's painting “The Death of Major Peirson.”
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linkWatch the full set of Jérome Monnot's films
Narrated by academics from a variety of backgrounds and specialities, each film approaches “The Procession” from a unique perspective.
Publications
We publish world-class monographs and catalogues on an ever-expanding range of topics, alongside a host of innovative digital publications, including our prize-winning journal British Art Studies.
Archives & Library
Visit our Public Study Room where you can explore our rich library and archival holdings. See below for how to make an appointment and search our catalogues.
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linkAccess our Archives & Library Collections
Visit our Public Study Room, make an enquiry, request digital copies, or search our catalogues.
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linkArchive Collections
The papers of art historians, museum directors, curators, dealers, art critics, collectors and others working on the history of British art and architecture.
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linkLibrary Collections
More than 26,000 books, pamphlets, exhibition catalogues and theses available for reference.
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linkPhoto Archive Collections
More than 100,000 reference photographs of British paintings, decorative painting, sculpture, drawings and prints now digitised.
Learning
Our aim is to make British art history and visual culture accessible to people of all ages by encouraging thought-provoking engagement with artworks and art historical research. We want people to think about how they ‘see’; and foster a sense of shared interest and community.
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linkYale in London
A study abroad programme for Yale students.
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linkPublic Events
Introducing innovative research in British art history to the public.
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linkWrite on Art
A writing competition to inspire tomorrow's art historians.
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linkGraduate Summer Programme
A lively twelve-day programme of workshops, discussions and encounters with historical archives and contemporary practice.
Networks
Our networks connect and support researchers and professionals engaging with British art, at different stages of their working lives.
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linkBritish Art Network
A network for curators, sharing expertise, research and ideas on British art.
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linkDoctoral Researchers Network
A supportive group of PhD students, offering academic and professional training.
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linkEarly Career Researchers Network
A supportive peer-to-peer network of people working to establish careers as researchers in British art.
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linkSupporting Emerging Researchers and Professionals
We also run competitions and events such as British Art in Motion and the Art Trade Seminar.