Research Projects & Networks

British Art in Motion

Eligibility

British Art in Motion is open to undergraduate students who are currently enrolled at a university in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands and are aged eighteen years or older as of 1 April 2024.

A formal education in art history is not essential. We are interested in hearing ideas from students from a range of backgrounds and perspectives, studying any subject, at any UK-based university, in any year of their course. However, the competition is aimed at undergraduate students who engage closely and critically with visual art. We welcome applications from students in all disciplines where there is such an engagement with visual culture, including but not limited to art history, architecture, film, fashion, ceramics, animation, philosophy, museology, critical and cultural studies, anthropology and sociology.

The subject of the film may be drawn from a field of British art and architectural history broadly understood, from the medieval period to the present day and across the spectrum of relevant geographical and cultural contexts. If you are uncertain whether your chosen topic would be eligible, please do get in contact with the team at the Paul Mellon Centre (PMC). As an institution, we pledge ourselves to ensuring that the histories of British art are enriched and made more relevant to a broader range of people in the future. The inclusion of voices, narratives and experiences that have been marginalised or excluded in the past will have a transformational impact on the future of British art studies. Accordingly, we particularly welcome applications from those who are under-represented within the academic field of the humanities in the UK.

While we recognise that filmmaking is often a collaborative process, submissions will be accepted only from individual applicants.

Terms and conditions can be found attached at the bottom of this page.

How to Apply

To apply for British Art in Motion, please submit a proposal for a film that:

  • Focuses on a single work of British art or architecture, from any period
  • Is between five and seven minutes in length
  • Offers your perspectives and arguments and demonstrates evidence of extended thinking and research
  • Showcases your vision for a work of art in moving image media
  • See the “Assessment Criteria” tab for an indication of what the judging panel will be seeking.

This proposal will include:

  • A five-hundred-word film treatment, in which you should offer a description of the film’s content, structure and approaches
  • A mood board which is designed to give a sense of the film’s visual character. This might include images, pantones, textures, sketches or any other visual material that will inform your approach to an artwork and cinematography
  • A bibliography no more than one page of A4 (double-spaced) in length, listing the sources you have or will consult in your research for this film.
  • A completed application form
  • All applicants must be available to travel and stay in London during the week 3–7 June 2024 to attend a filmmaking workshop at the PMC.

Send your completed proposal to Rosie Jennings, [email protected]

The deadline for applications is Tuesday 7 May, 10am.