The Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) has announced that applications are now open for
RSA Residencies for Scotland 2026, an artist-led scheme offering research and residency
opportunities for visual artists.

Since its inception in 2009, Residencies for Scotland has awarded more than £386,000 to
118 artists, supporting residencies at 42 venues across Scotland. Open to visual artists at
all stages of their careers, the programme provides vital time for research, development and
production, alongside opportunities for creatives to acquire and exchange new skills and
experiences. Residencies for Scotland is administered and funded by the RSA, with kind
support from the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust and the W. Gordon Smith & Jay
Gordonsmith Trust.

Artists can apply for up to £5,000 to manage their own residency in collaboration with one
of the partner venues. Exhibition opportunities may also be available at the RSA or through
links with the host organisations.

The partner venues involved with the programme have a long history of offering professional
development and presentation opportunities for contemporary artists and their expertise has
formed the backbone of Scottish artistic practice for decades. RSA Residencies for Scotland
aims to give artists the time and space to pursue dedicated research and production,
strengthen links with centres of excellence across the country, provide access to technical
expertise and specialist skills and encourage the exchange of ideas and practices across
disciplines.

2026 marks the eighth edition of RSA Residencies for Scotland, coinciding with the
Academy’s bicentenary. The RSA will celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2026, with
nationwide celebrations involving hundreds of artists, partners, galleries and institutions
across Scotland and the wider UK. The launch of this round of residencies in such a
landmark year will place a national spotlight on the wealth of artistic talent in Scotland.
Colin Greenslade, RSA Director said:

‘RSA Residencies for Scotland highlights the remarkable breadth of artistic talent across the
country. Through our partnerships with venues based on our islands and in our cities, artists
can access world-class expertise, facilities and communities wherever their ideas take them.
By placing artists at the heart of their own residencies, the programme empowers them to
create opportunities that respond directly to their practice. Launching this edition in our
bicentenary year is a fitting way to celebrate Scotland’s creativity and our ongoing
commitment to supporting it.’

The Royal Scottish Academy is working with 19 partner venues across Scotland for RSA
Residencies for Scotland 2026:

– Wasps Artists’ Studios (Skye)

– Airlie Artist Residency, Angus
– An Cridhe, Isle of Coll
– An Lanntair, Isle of Lewis
– Bothy Project, Isle of Eigg
– Cove Park, Argyll and Bute
– Cromarty Arts Trust
– Deveron Projects, Huntly
– Dundee Contemporary Arts Print Studio
– Edinburgh Printmakers
– Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop
– Glasgow Print Studio
– Peacock and the worm, Aberdeen
– RSA Collections Department, Edinburgh
– Scottish Sculpture Workshop, Lumsden
– Stills Centre for Photography, Edinburgh
– Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow
– Taigh Chearsabhagh, North Uist
– The Pier Arts Centre, Orkney

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Kate Gray as our new Chief Executive Officer. Kate joins Wasps from BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, where she has been Director of Enterprise and Public value since 2021 and brings over two decades of experience supporting artists and developing ambitious arts programmes across the UK.

Prior to her role at BALTIC, Kate was the Director of Collective, the contemporary art centre on Calton Hill in Edinburgh, where she led a major redevelopment project and positioned the organisation as a significant player in the Scottish arts landscape.

Kate Gray will take up the role in August 2025, succeeding Audrey Carlin, who stepped down earlier this year after ten years of leadership.

Karen Anderson, Chair of the Wasps Board, welcomed the appointment:

“I’m absolutely delighted on behalf of the team to be welcoming Kate to Wasps as our new CEO after what was a highly competitive recruitment process. Kate’s strategic leadership experience in developing sustainable creative spaces aligned to her deep understanding of artists and creative practice, equip her brilliantly to take the helm of Wasps at this important time for our organisation. We very much look forward to having her join a team committed to delivering for Scotland’s foremost community of artists and creative practitioners now and in the future.”

Speaking on her appointment, Kate Gray said:

“I’m honoured to join Wasps at a pivotal time. Scotland benefits from the vision of artists and creative practitioners and Wasps supports creative communities to bring their imagination into being. I’m looking forward to working with artists, partners and the team to build on the strong foundation and shape a bold, inclusive future”