HORIZONS Artist Development Programme 2026
HORIZONS Artist Development Programme 2026
Applications are now open for ‘Horizons’, a new training and development programme supporting socially engaged Global Majority* Artists into Creative Mental Health facilitation.
We are looking for 6x socially engaged visual artists living or working in Greater Manchester to join a paid arts & mental-health training programme.
Programme Content:
- Paid 12-week training programme (Mar–June 2026 on Fridays only)
- Mentorship from Arc & cultural partners
- Paid continued community engagement training (Jun–Sept 2026)
- Opportunity to deliver workshops during Stockport Arts & Health Week (Oct 2026)
- Opportunity to participate in an exhibition related to the project
Who can apply:
- Visual artists (painting, textiles, sculpture, mixed media, ceramics, photography, etc.)
- Visual art only. We are sorry but we cannot accept music, performance or written word
- Aged 18+ years old by 30 Jan 26.
- You must be from a Global Majority Community and/or heritage.
- Artists must live, study or work within Greater Manchester.
- You must have prior session facilitation experience, but be willing to learn more about delivering arts and mental health programmes for community groups.
- You must be available during working hours every Friday, throughout the 12-week training programme between March-June 2026
Where: Arc at Hat Works, Stockport (Arts for Recovery in the Community) – wheelchair accessible building
Application Deadline: 23.59 on Friday 30th January 2026
How to Apply: (Please read the eligibility criteria carefully before applying.)
If you believe you are the right fit for the Horizons Training Programme – 2026, please submit the following:
- A completed Application Form.
- Your CV
- 3x current images of your artwork – Numbered and labelled with your name (i.e. Image 1 – P. Khan)
- Submit all of the above by *email to: · Jacqui McKoy-Lewens (Horizons Project Manager) at: horizonsproject.arc@gmail.com with the subject line: “Horizons Training Programme – Applications 2026”.
To download the full information, please find it in a Google Doc here.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Jacqui via the email above. We look forward to receiving your applications – Good Luck!
This project is funded by Arc & Arts Council England.
* “Global majority” is a collective term for people who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and/or have been racialised as “ethnic minorities”. Noted as people who are not white and considered as a group comprising the majority of the world’s population. This term is used to challenge the Eurocentric view that people of colour are “minorities,” as they constitute roughly 85% of the world’s population.
