Global Korea Residency

This one-off V&A residency is made possible through dedicated funding from the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism, Republic of Korea and the National Museum of Korea. It offers a unique opportunity to explore the V&A’s Korean collection – spanning from historical ceramics, lacquerware, metalwork and textiles to contemporary fashion, including a seminal donation by fashion pioneer Lee Young Hee, alongside contemporary craft and design (one of the largest holdings outside Korea), digital practice, and histories of colonial encounter. The selected artist will also have access to the V&A’s wider global collections, enabling cross-cultural dialogue, unexpected connections, and expansive research. We are particularly interested in practitioners eager to work across disciplines, forge new connections, and develop work that brings fresh perspectives to our collections and audiences.

This residency is part of the V&A’s ongoing commitment to supporting contemporary creative practice and broadening access to its collections. As a museum rooted in creativity and making, we see our collections as an active resource for research, experimentation, and the development of new work. Through this programme, we aim to support practitioners whose ideas shape contemporary culture, creating space for new interpretations and perspectives.

Key themes of particular interest include colonial narratives; digital realms and speed culture; global perspectives on Korea across time; societal issues, particularities or communities; hybridity in craft, design, architecture and popular culture; subculture in material and visual culture; polyphonic graphic design; ceramic practices; research on the Korean collection. Please note we have on-site ceramics facilities, including a kiln.

This 3-day-a-week residency will be held at the V&A South Kensington in London over a four-month period from 1st February 2027 to 28th May 2027 (we are flexible on which three days you work, Mon – Fri).