"Research Fellow, Future Ecologies of Clay (Part-time, Fixed Term)"

We are seeking a part-time Research Fellow to join the AHRC-funded project Future Ecologies of Clay. The project is a collaboration between the V&A and the Ceramics Research Centre, University of Westminster. It addresses the challenge of collecting expanded clay practices and the ability of UK museums to make them accessible to future audiences. The research seeks to ensure recent and historical examples of ephemeral, live, performative, site responsive and participatory works in clay can be identified, explored and analysed in the future.

The Research Fellow will support the delivery of project objectives. In particular, they will research and document past examples of the V&A’s engagement with expanded clay practices, and survey historic precedents for such practices. They will also support the development of a new work by artist Phoebe Cummings as a case study.

The V&A is the world’s leading museum of art and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects, books and archives that span over 5,000 years of human creativity. The museum holds many of the UK's national collections and houses some of the greatest resources for the study of architecture, furniture, fashion, textiles, photography, sculpture, painting, jewellery, glass, ceramics, book arts, Asian art and design, theatre and performance.

Our mission is to be recognised as the world's leading museum of art, design and performance, and to enrich people's lives by promoting research, knowledge and enjoyment of the designed world to the widest possible audience. We strive to make the V&A matter to more people and in that context we work to the following six strategic objectives:

• To create a world class visitor and learning experience across all V&A sites and collections.
• Focus and deepen the relevance of our collections to the UK creative and knowledge economy.
• Expand the V&A's international reach, reputation and impact.
• To operate with financial and organisational initiative and efficiency.
• Showcase the best of digital design and deliver an outstanding digital experience.
• Diversify and increase private and commercial funding sources.

This is a fixed term, part-time (18 hours per week) vacancy that will close 21 September 2025 23:59 BST.

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