Association of Finnish Sculptors residency in London with the Royal Society of Sculptors

This is an opportunity to step away from the everyday demands of practice and spend dedicated time in one of the world's most vibrant cultural cities. The residency offers space for research, reflection, experimentation and professional exchange, supported by the knowledge and networks of the Royal Society of Sculptors.

The Residency

The residency will take place from 7 June 2027 for four weeks, with accommodation provided at Dora House, the home of the Royal Society of Sculptors in South Kensington, central London.

This residency is intended as a period of research, exploration, and idea development. We are particularly interested in how the artist uses their time to engage with the city — its people, organisations, histories, and spaces - as a catalyst for new thinking and future work.

Rather than prioritising a fully resolved final product, the focus is on process: building relationships, testing ideas, and responding to the context in meaningful and ambitious ways.

During the residency, we expect the artist to:

• Undertake focused research informed by the city’s cultural, social, or physical landscape
• Proactively connect with local organisations, creatives, and communities
• Develop new concepts, proposals, or early-stage work inspired by these interactions
• Share insights, works-in-progress, or research outcomes in an appropriate format (at the 3 week event point with a presentation, discussion or open studio)
• Document learning, connections, and future directions emerging from the residency

The residency should lay strong foundations for future work, partnerships, and long-term impact beyond the residency period itself.

This is a self-directed residency, all applicants must come with the understanding that they need to work independently.

Artists will have the opportunity to connect with the Royal Society of Sculptors' professional community and benefit from curatorial insight, sector knowledge and an international network of artists and cultural professionals.

A particularly distinctive aspect of the residency is access to the Society's nationally important archive. The archive offers a rich resource for research and discovery, connecting contemporary practice with the history and development of sculpture.

Following three residencies by members of The Association of Finnish Sculptors, there is also the possibility of a group exhibition, offering participating artists a potential opportunity to share the outcomes of their research and development with a wider audience.

A Home in the Heart of London

Your accommodation will be a comfortable, fully self-contained residency flat at Dora House, providing a private base from which to explore London and focus on your practice.

The accommodation includes:

• Private bedroom with double bed
• Private bathroom
• Lounge area
• Fully equipped kitchen and cooking utensils
• Tea, coffee and basic kitchen essentials
• Laundry facilities
• Wi-Fi
• Towels and linen
• Hairdryer
• Iron and ironing board
• Cleaning essentials
• Welcome pack with information about the accommodation, local area and emergency procedures
• Welcome amenities including milk, bottled water and biscuits

Located in South Kensington, the residence is surrounded by some of London's most important cultural institutions and is exceptionally well placed for research and exploration.

Within walking distance are the Victoria & Albert Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum and Hyde Park, as well as Chelsea and the King's Road.

South Kensington Underground Station and Gloucester Road Station are both within a short walk, providing easy access to galleries, museums, studios and cultural venues across London.

Who Can Apply?

The opportunity is open exclusively to members of the Association of Finnish Sculptors.

The successful artist will be required to provide references.

How to Apply

Free to enter.

Please prepare the following:

• 5-12 images of recent work
• A CV of no more than two pages
• A statement explaining how this London residency could impact and contribute to your practice
• All applications must be submitted online using the Make a Submission tab.

The closing deadline for applications is 3 November 2026.

Due to the volume of applications, individual feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Results will be communicated in early December 2026.

Shortlisting & Selection

Shortlisted artists will be invited to respond to three questions about their practice and their interest in the residency.

Rather than preparing a written response, shortlisted artists will be asked to record a short video on their phone answering the questions. These videos will be shared with the judging panel as part of the final selection process.

Judges

Aleksi Malmberg

Director of the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland

Aleksi Malmberg has extensive experience as a leader in the cultural sector, both in Finland and internationally. Before moving to the United Kingdom, he served eg. as the general manager of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Director for the Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux, and Head of Programme at the Helsinki Festival.

Malmberg holds a Master of Arts (MA, University of Helsinki) and an Executive MBA (EMBA, Aalto University). He is a Certified Board Member and is currently working on a doctoral thesis at Aalto University on leading creativity. He builds his work on fairness, dialogue, and curiosity, and believes in the power of art in society.

Kimmo Schroderus

Artist

Kimmo Schroderus’ (b. 1970) career as a sculptor began in the 90s. His sculptures combine industrial materials and practices with an organic form language and traditional methods of sculpture, such as metal casting. His working process emphasizes the importance of the craft, of DIY, and a mastery of materials and techniques, as well as a striving to continually learn more.

For Schroderus, his workspace is like a laboratory where he seeks out new ways of working on, shaping, or even deforming his materials. The long, arduous journey made by the sculptures to being finished works of art is a part of their content: it has to be visible from the execution of the sculpture that its creation has been a meaningful act for its maker. The professional skill accrued over a long career is reflected in the flawless surface of the end result.

Hannele Tilles

Curator

Hannele has a long-standing association with art, particularly sculpture, and has served in juries for Public Art Awards at the Royal Society of Sculptors in the UK.

She was also a jury member and organiser for the Society’s SKULPTUR project, an exhibition of work from all five Nordic countries. She has helped foster a relationship between the RSS and the Association of Finnish Sculptors.

Hannele has also been a jury member for the biennial Finnish Art Prize Below Zero since its inception in 2017 as well as a triennial art prize at Galicia Jewish Museum in Krakow, Poland. She has curated photographic exhibitions in her native Finland and has been involved with the commissioning of numerous sculptures in the UK.

The details

Travel is covered up to £300 for a return journey.

A per-diem of £30 will be provided to the artists while they are in residence

A materials budget of £75 per week is available - upon the submission of purchase receipts

The flat will be professionally prepared and cleaned accommodation with fresh bed linens and towels, refreshed weekly.

You will have dedicated administrative support throughout the residency, and a member of the London team will be on-call to offer assistance for emergencies.

Artists are required to attain travel insurance for the duration of their visit; proof of this will be requested.

One resident at a time.

The flat is accessed via steep, narrow steps; applicants should consider this when applying.

Rules & Guidelines

By submitting an application, entrants confirm that all information provided is accurate and agree to comply with the rules and requirements of the Royal Society of Sculptors and the residency partner.

Applications must be submitted online by the stated deadline. No hard-copy applications will be accepted.

Submissions must be lawful and must not contain offensive, obscene, racist, discriminatory or otherwise objectionable material, or any form of advertising.

By entering, artists grant the Royal Society of Sculptors and its residency partner the right, without royalty, to reproduce images of submitted work in connection with the residency, including online, in print and through other forms of dissemination.

The judges' decision is final. If the Royal Society of Sculptors is unable to contact a shortlisted artist or successful applicant using the email address provided, the Society reserves the right to withdraw the shortlist position or select an alternative artist.

APPLY HERE

Image: There's no place like it, 2026 Summer Show at the Royal Society of Sculptors