This PhD studentship will investigate the how the Turner Prize and comparable touring exhibitions impact arts ecologies and organizational partnerships outside London.
The successful candidate will be expected to begin the studentship on 1 October 2025, over a four-year period for full-time students, or over an eight-year period for part-time students, and will be required to spend time at both Goldsmiths, University of London and Tate sites, and will have access to resources, services and professional development across the two institutions. Travel to touring exhibition sites across the UK is expected as part of the research. The successful candidate will also be part of a wider cohort of CDP funded students across the United Kingdom.
The research developed in this studentship will contribute to the Tate’s National Partnerships team and is expected to feed into the UK regional touring strategy.
The deadline for applications is 28th May 2025. Formal interviews are expected to take place on 11th June 2025 online.
Project summary
Every other year since 2011 the Turner Prize has been hosted by a venue other than Tate Britain and outside of London. As part of this initiative, City of Culture locations are given first refusal to host Turner Prize within their programming for the year. The partnership and activity are overseen by Tate’s National Partnerships team. These host years often welcome more visitors than when at Tate Britain and interest in hosting the prize is consistently high.
This doctoral project is an opportunity to study the impact that national initiatives and exhibitions such as the Turner Prize or equivalent have when they land in a town or city for a period of time. Similar initiatives including the British Art Show or Hayward Touring have their own dynamics and it is the consequence of taking them outside of London that is the focus. What networks are formed or changed in the geographical area? How are the impact of such network relations experienced and expressed by locals? How can a new concepts be developed in an investigation of such networks, relations and impact?
The condition 'outside London' speaks to the importance of arts development nationwide, and the role of large cultural organisations whose collections, expertise and exhibitions may travel to other regions. The objectives are to collect new data from individuals and organisations in a sample of locations in the UK, via interviews and participatory methods, to develop a new framework, and to produce outputs which both contribute to current research on networking in the creative industries and to stimulate discussions about evolving partnership practices in the creative sector.
Despite government emphasis on, and monitoring of, national museums partnership activities, there has been no previous academic study which analyses the relationships which are generated between a network of museums, media organisations, galleries, heritage organisations, community groups and arts organisations, and individual artists, as they become involved in non-commercially driven partnership activities.
We expect that the project will begin with some 'scoping' interviews with a small set of individuals from the last 10 years as part of contextual review and to assess the feasibility of getting reasonable data for historic exhibitions. Notable emphasis has been placed on Eastbourne (2023) and Bradford (2025) with the reasonable expectation that richer, more recent data would be available.
Given the nature of this opportunity, we expect the decisions on the sample, methods and theoretical/analytic frame to be determined by the doctoral student in the initial stages of the research, and in conjunction with other planned National Partnerships activity in Eastbourne. The project will have to deal with very different regional situations and the challenge of how distant in time the Turner Prize has been, spanning over a decade.
The project will be a thesis by written dissertation co-supervised by Professor Nina Wakeford (Department of Art, Goldsmiths), Dr Michael Guggenheim (Reader in Sociology, Goldsmiths) and Heather Sturdy (Head of National Partnerships, Tate).
Benefits and opportunities
The successful candidate will be based in the Department of Art. They will participate in core programme activities and will be given opportunity to present their research process and production in discursive seminars, both to the Art MPhil/PhD Research programme cohort and to expanded publics across the Goldsmiths’ community and beyond. They will attend the weekly Postgraduate Lecture which includes international speakers. Training opportunities are also available through the Goldsmiths Graduate School.
At Tate, the successful candidate will join a community of doctoral researchers, benefitting from access to Tate’s collection, resources, and events. They will be embedded within Tate’s National Partnerships Team and will develop an advanced understanding of its activities.
Candidates will also be expected to engage in a minimum of 3-6 months professional development throughout the studentship period, allowing them to gain transferable skills and practical knowledge. Throughout the PhD, they will also have the opportunity to engage in networking and events with Tate and the wider network of museums, galleries and heritage organisations affiliated with the AHRC CDP scheme as part of the CDP Cohort Development programme.
Funding information
Starting October 2025, an AHRC CDP PhD Studentship with Tate is funded for 4 or 8 years, covering UKRI tuition fees and a £20,870 annual stipend (2025/26) plus a London Weighting of £2000/year. This studentship is open to international candidates. The difference between the international and UKRI tuition fees will be provided by Goldsmiths.
Additional funding includes:
- £600 per year (CDA uplift) for collaboration costs.
- Up to £1,300 per year from Tate for research expenses (£650 for part-time).
Eligibility and How to Apply
We encourage applications from a wide range of candidates with suitable qualifications and/or equivalent experience.
Academic Entry Qualification
- Bachelor’s (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent).
- Master’s degree in a relevant subject such as Visual Studies, Sociology, Anthropology, Geography, Cultural Studies, Visual Studies or be able to demonstrate equivalent experience in a professional setting such as galleries, museums and cultural institutions. Experience of empirical research is desirable, but training needs will be assessed at outset.
- English Language
All applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English. Full details on the required language tests can be found here.
Desirable Requirements
We welcome applicants who demonstrate equivalent experience. This might include, but is not restricted to, a strong track record of employment in a museum, non-commercial gallery, or a comparable cultural institution. Applicants should demonstrate an interest in and enthusiasm for developing their skills and critical thinking in the cultural industries sector.
Application Procedure
The application deadline is Midnight (BST) on 28 May 2025. Please apply online for the MPhil/PhD in Art at Goldsmiths (https://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/mphil-phd-art/)
- Under ‘Programme Choice’ select ‘Pathway 3 – Thesis by Written Dissertation’
- Select ‘Starting in September 2025’
- Under ‘Planned basis for funding’ select ‘AHRC funding’
The application must include:
- Academic CV, detailing your education, qualifications, employment history, publications, and any other relevant information (under ‘Other documents’)
- Copies of your Bachelor’s and Master’s academic transcript and degree certificate. If your Master’s degree is pending, please provide an interim transcript.
- Under Step 8 ‘Research Proposal’ please upload a supporting statement (max. 500 words) explaining why you would like to undertake this studentship and how your focus, experience, and skills align with the research outlined above. A separate PhD Proposal is not required.
- Under ‘Other documents’ please upload an example of a piece of academic writing. This may be an academic essay or dissertation chapter(s); if submitting a dissertation excerpt, include an abstract or introduction outlining the study’s context, aims, and research questions.
- Names of two academic referees, including one from your most recent institution who can assess your suitability for PhD study and relate their comments to the advertised project.
- We ask that all applicants complete a voluntary EDI monitoring form here. All responses are anonymous.
If you have any questions about the project or would like to discuss further, please contact Professor Nina Wakeford (n.wakeford@gold.ac.uk) or the Art Department admissions tutor Professor Michael Newman (m.newman@gold.ac.uk).
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
You can read the University’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion commitments here.
Reasonable Adjustments and Support for Applicants
Should you require any reasonable adjustments or support throughout the application process, please contact m.newman@gold.ac.uk or studentships@tate.org.uk.
Support or adjustments may include, but are not limited to: opportunities to speak with supervisors or relevant contacts regarding the project and process, institutional support systems and spaces, and interview arrangements.