An Edinburgh-born painter who built her practice in Glasgow has been awarded a major UK art residency, securing a year-long Freelands Studio Fellowship at the University of Brighton.
Alice Campbell, who graduated with First-Class Honours from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design in Dundee in 2017, has been selected for the highly competitive fellowship, which supports emerging artists with time, funding and studio space to develop their work within a leading art school environment.
The fellowship, delivered in partnership with the Freelands Foundation, is designed to foster exchange between professional artists and students, combining teaching, mentorship and creative development. Hosted within the School of Art and Media at the University of Brighton, the fellowship will enable Alice enjoy institutional support while deepening her practice over the year.
Originally from Edinburgh and having lived and worked in Glasgow for several years, Alice has recently relocated to Brighton to begin the 12-month residency. The fellowship provides a £33,000 bursary alongside a dedicated studio and mentoring support, enabling her to expand her large-scale oil painting practice while working closely with students.
Alice is known for richly layered paintings influenced by magical realism and the Proto-Renaissance period, blending historical visual language with contemporary questions around identity, connection and storytelling.
Her work often depicts groups of figures at ease in one another’s company, inviting viewers to actively participate in constructing meaning within the scene.
Alice said: “I’m so delighted to have been selected for the Freelands Fellowship at the Brighton School of Art and Media. It really feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity to have the time and space to experiment in order to develop my practice in a nurturing art school environment.
“Having just moved down to Brighton from Scotland, I’m excited to see how the change in location as well as the wealth of new influences affects my work. Additionally, I’m looking forward to working with the painting students and enjoying being in such a vibrant, creative atmosphere.”
Throughout her career, Alice has remained closely connected to the Scottish art community, having developed her practice between Edinburgh and Glasgow. She is also represented by Castlegate House Gallery in Cumbria.
The fellowship is designed to create a dynamic environment where artists and students benefit from mutual learning, mentorship and creative exchange.
Professor Tamar Jeffers McDonald, Dean of the School of Art and Media at the University of Brighton, said: “The Freelands Fellowship brings enormous value to our painting community. It gives students direct insight into sustaining a contemporary artistic practice while contributing to a rich exchange of ideas across the School.
“Alice’s imaginative, narrative-driven work and her engagement with historical influences in a contemporary context will offer a compelling perspective for our students. We are thrilled to welcome her to Brighton.”
The Freelands Studio Fellowship and residency at the University of Brighton will culminate in a solo exhibition at Phoenix Art Space in Brighton.
Lucy Day, Executive Director at Phoenix Art Space, said: “In recent years, Phoenix Art Space has welcomed Freelands Fellows whose exhibitions have been enjoyed by our artistic community and attracted strong public engagement.
“We are delighted to be working with this year’s Fellow, Alice Campbell, through our partnership with the University of Brighton and Freelands Foundation. We look forward to hosting the exhibition and sharing her work with audiences.”
A spokesperson of the Freelands Foundation, said: “We believe in the symbiotic benefits of teaching and making, and that placing an artist in residence in the art school studios is an invaluable resource for students and staff alike.
“We are delighted to welcome Alice Campbell as Brighton’s next Studio Fellow and look forward to seeing how her practice evolves over the coming year.”
Through the fellowship, Alice hopes to have the time and freedom to experient and develop her practice in exciting, rewarding and possibly unpredictable ways. She hopes to create an ambitious body of new work by the end of the year.
Visit Alice’s website for more information on her work.