Location: Prospect Cottage, Dungeness, Kent, UK
Residency Period: 2027–2028
Funding: £500 per week (2-week residency)
Application Deadline: 3 pm, Friday 3 July 2026
Notification of Results: Friday 21 August 2026
About the Residency
The fundraising campaign to secure Prospect Cottage was driven by an ambition to make Derek Jarman’s former home a catalyst for creativity.
Creative Folkestone is seeking artists, writers and creatives to undertake residencies at the Cottage. The residency offers participants the opportunity to develop their work without the pressure to produce results.
The programme is intended for individuals who will respond to the solitude of Prospect Cottage and draw inspiration from the life and work of Derek Jarman and the Dungeness landscape.
This round of residencies will cover the period from 2027 to 2028. Residents will be selected by the Prospect Cottage Residency Advisory Panel.
There will be four paid residencies of two weeks available each year, with the panel determining allocation during the assessment process. Residents will receive a grant of £500 per week following completion of the residency and upon receipt of an invoice made payable to Creative Folkestone.
Eligibility
Applications are open to artists, writers and creatives.
Applications are welcome from people who are currently living with HIV or AIDS.
The residencies are not open to students.
Residency Environment
A residency in Dungeness requires a high level of self-sufficiency. The nearest shop is three miles away, Wi-Fi is limited, and mobile phone signals are weak. Applicants should demonstrate that they are comfortable with solitude and understand the environment in which they will be staying.
Dungeness is a rugged, windy and unforgiving landscape of shingle, a decommissioning nuclear power station and private land and properties. It can be hostile, bleak and unwelcoming, but also beautiful, friendly and tranquil.
The garden and cottage are a popular destination for artists, tourists, donors, horticulturists and explorers, and residents should expect visitors throughout their stay. Some visitors may come very close to the cottage and, while the location is remote, the garden remains a public space.
Residents will stay in the cottage alone. Applications from more than one person will only be considered where practitioners work as a collaborative pair. Please note that there is only one double bed available.
Due to the historic nature of the cottage and the shingle environment of Dungeness, Prospect Cottage has accessibility constraints.
What to Submit
Applications should include:
- A completed application form, including a personal statement explaining why spending time at Prospect Cottage would be beneficial.
- A completed diversity data form.
Applicants are invited to submit, either in writing (300 words or less) or via a short video or audio link (no longer than 2 minutes), a comprehensive explanation of why the two-week residency would be particularly valuable to them. Applicants are encouraged to focus on the present and future rather than past achievements.
Applicants may also submit:
- A CV (maximum one side of A4)
- Up to five images of their work (JPEG or PNG files)
Selection Criteria
Successful applicants will be selected based on evidence of a long-held commitment to their project, the suitability of spending time in Dungeness, and the likely benefits that a concentrated period at Prospect Cottage would provide.
Creative Folkestone and Art Fund will create a shortlist of up to 50 applicants for consideration by the full committee. All decisions made by the residency committee are final.
Residency Outcomes
Residents are not expected to produce any formal output during their stay. However, they must be prepared to leave a brief written, visual or verbal commentary for the archive.
Where desired, Creative Folkestone may facilitate a more formal outcome, such as a talk or presentation.
Key Dates
Application Deadline: 3pm, Friday 3 July 2026
Outcome Notification: Successful applicants will be contacted by 5pm on Friday 21 August 2026.
