Rosemary (Rosy) James died in 2010, having bequeathed over £500,000 to establish an annual bursary in her name to help artists, designers and makers to pursue their careers by developing a new body of work.
‘The Rosy James Bursary’ will be administered by the Arts Council on behalf of the Rosy James Memorial Trust. The value of the annual award is up to £15,000.
This unique award is directed at makers steeped in practice using materials singly or in combination. Such materials might include fired clay or glass; fine or base metals; textiles using any kinds of applications; wood; plastics; paper or other materials not included in this list, where the emphasis is based upon the transformation of materials through the use of sustained practice towards a series of critical outcomes.
It aims to assist makers to investigate and develop a body of work which would otherwise be unaffordable.
The period of the award will culminate in an exhibition of work on public display in Northern Ireland.
Who can apply?
- Artists, designers and makers steeped in practice using materials singly or in combination in all types of working practice who must
- Have made a contribution to artistic activities in Northern Ireland for a minimum period of 1 year within the last 5 years;
- Live in Northern Ireland; and
- Be at least 18 years old and not in secondary education.
- Employees of statutory bodies, undergraduates and postgraduates are eligible to apply but they must prove that the funds which they are applying for are costs which are not properly the concern of their employer and are not related to their work or academic study. They must submit evidence of this in the form of a letter on headed paper from their Head of Department. In the case of post-graduate students, the letter must clearly state the title of the student’s PhD thesis and include a declaration by the Head of Department. This declaration must state “The project for which funds are being sought does not form part of any academic work undertaken in relation to the above-titled PhD nor will it be assessed as part of any academic course”. Applicants undertaking a Masters or a PhD must also include a separate statement which provides information on how the project applied for differs from their Masters or PhD work. Please note: The Rosy James Trust may use its own judgement in determining this matter.
To apply
For more information, and to apply, see the Award’s page on the Arts Council of Northern Ireland website, below.
Rosy James Memorial Trust Award
Application Deadline: Fri 11th Jul, 2025, 12:00PM
