Members-only
About the prize
Fellowship is the highest level of membership with the Royal Society of Sculptors and is for sculptors who can demonstrate a considerable exhibition history and/or commission portfolio. Applications are open to current Members of the Society.
In addition to the existing membership benefits, Fellows can use the professional accreditation FRSS after their name and are invited to attend an annual Fellows’ social event.
We invite fellows to join the Fellows Mentoring Scheme, allowing them to offer their support and advice to the Society’s Members.
Eligibility
Only current members of the Society can apply for Fellowship. Prospective fellows should be practicing artists and demonstrate evidence of a substantial and coherent sculptural practice (in any of its forms) over ten or more years with most or all of the following:
- A coherent body of work with distinct visual qualities
- A critically engaged practice
- Thorough understanding and use of materials, techniques and processes
- Substantial exhibition, commission, residency or public funding history
- Significant contribution to the practice of sculpture
We strongly encourage prospective Fellows to discuss their application with a member of the board prior to submission. Please address enquiries to info@sculptors.org.uk, marked for the attention of Laura Ford PRSS or Almuth Tebbenhoff VPRSS.
How to Apply
All applicants will be required to complete an online application. This comprises of:
- A concise statement (100-500 words) about the form and content of your practice.
- Up to 10 images each titled with the name of the work (1MB or less and that it is a JPEG, TIFF or PNG file format). The images submitted with the online application form must be of the highest quality. If they do not provide clear and unequivocal evidence of the quality and nature of the applicant’s work, then the application will be declared unacceptable at the discretion of the Trustees.
- A statement of no more than 250 words on how they will contribute to the Society as a Fellow
- Two (uploaded) references from referees who can comment, confidently, on your practice and how you meet the below criteria:
– A coherent body of work with distinct visual qualities
– A critically engaged practice
– Thorough understanding and use of materials, techniques and processes
– Substantial exhibition, commission, residency or public funding history
– Significant contribution to the practice of sculpture - NB please obtain these references using the downloadable form on the DOWNLOADS/LINKS page before beginning your online application. The completed forms should be saved and uploaded as PDF’s. Referees DO NOT need to be Fellows of the Royal Society of Sculptors.
- A CV (preferably limited to two pages) in pdf format
- A link to your website
It is the applicant’s responsibility to complete their online application form and upload the images and two references before the deadline. Regrettably incomplete applications will not be submitted to the selection committee for review and will therefore be classed as an unsuccessful application.
Fellowship Application Fee
There is no fee to apply for fellowship. However, please note that for your application to be accepted, your 2024 annual membership fee of £222 must be paid in full by the submission deadline or an existing direct debit be in place.
If successful, fellow membership fees will be applicable. Fellow 2024 membership fees are £268.
Selection Process
The Membership Selection Committee will be meeting in late March and you will be notified via email of the outcome of your application in early April. The Membership Selection Committee are:
The voting on fellowship applications is conducted by a majority vote by the sculptor members of the Board at the selection meeting. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application in early April 2024. The decision taken is final. Regrettably, we are unable to provide individual feedback on fellowship applications.
Please note: Some applications are unsuccessful
Conditions of the Application
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 award requirements specified by the Society (whether on its website or otherwise) and the Society reserves its right to exclude any entry which in its opinion does not comply.
All applications must be made using the online form and all fields must be completed. No hard copy applications will be accepted. Proof of submission is not proof of receipt. Applications must be received by the closing time and date specified. No responsibility can be accepted for applications which are incomplete, delayed or not received for whatever reason. Regrettably, incomplete applications will not be submitted to the selection committee for review and will therefore be classed as an unsuccessful application.
We are unable to provide individual feedback on fellowship applications. For this reason, we strongly encourage prospective Fellows to discuss their application with a sculptor member of the board prior to submission. Please address enquiries to info@sculptors.org.uk, marked for the attention of Laura Ford PRSS or Almuth Tebbenhoff VPRSS.
