Photograph © Lewis Ronald

Young Artists Opportunity at the Fitzwilliam Museum in partnership with Cambridge Open Studios

Cambridge Open Studios, in partnership with The Fitzwilliam Museum, is excited to announce a unique opportunity for young artists (ages 18-28) to take part in a special project during the July 2026 Cambridge Open Studios Festival. This is an excellent chance to create, showcase your work, and engage with the community in an inspiring and supportive museum environment.

What’s on offer

• Studio Space at the Fitzwilliam Museum: A recently refurbished Learning Studio will be available for young artists to use for two weekends in July—July 18th-19th and July 25th-26^th 2026.
• Access to the Museum Collection: Participants will have the chance to immerse themselves in the museum’s collection for research and inspiration throughout the month with the Studio available 18^th/19^thand 25^th /26^th July.
• Public Engagement: The studio will be open to the public, allowing visitors to engage with the artists, learn about their creative process, and discuss ideas. It will also be possible for artists to sell their work in the space. Museum staff will be on hand to support the artists in the Studio.
• Mentorship & Community Engagement: Successful applicants will receive a free year-long membership with Cambridge Open Studios, including free participation in the July festival and mentoring. You will join a community of over 500 artists across Cambridgeshire.

Six artists will be selected

Staff from the Learning & Public Programmes team at the Fitzwilliam Museum and Cambridge Open Studios will be on the selection panel. Fitzwilliam Museum and Cambridge Open Studios will select six emerging artists to take part. This is an exciting chance to be part of a unique partnership and to be seen by the public during the festival.

How to apply

Fill out the form below or email your application to cos-fitz@camopenstudios.org with the following details;

• A bit about you: Who are you, and what’s your background?
• Your art and practice: What drives your work, and why is your practice important to you?
• Why the Fitzwilliam Museum?: Tell us why you would like to work within the museum’s space and explore its collection.
• Your goals: What do you hope to learn or achieve from this opportunity?

Please include up to three images with your application or links to your work online.

Eligibility criteria

• You must be aged 18-28.
• Artists working in any media are welcome to apply (a range of practices and media are encouraged).
• Applicants should be based in Cambridgeshire.

Selection process

A panel of experts from the Fitzwilliam Museum and Cambridge Open Studios will review all applications and select the most promising artists based on the strength of their work, their connection to the opportunity, and their potential for growth.

Application Deadline: 30^th May 2026

For any questions or further information, please contact cos-fitz@camopenstudios.org

We can’t wait to hear from you!

Applications are now closed, thank you to all the entrants this year!