Fellowship Opportunity | Telling the Story of Rathlin East
Future Island-Island has already gathered oral history, social history and multimedia material relating to Rathlin Island East Lighthouse. The Fellow will have access to this information subject to completion of any necessary permissions for use of the material. The East Light on Rathlin is also the focus of future regeneration activity. This fellowship therefore creates an opportunity to bring those materials together in an original creative work that connects the lighthouse’s past with its future.
The Fellow will work with the oral history, social history and multimedia material already gathered through the East Light research to create an original piece about the East Lighthouse and Rathlin East. The work should interpret the site’s history while connecting it to plans for future regeneration. The audience for the work will include both inhabitants of Rathlin, (including those who took part in the oral history project), as well as teams who will work on the regeneration of the East Light – architects, contractors, government officials. The piece will also be made available to more “general” publics interested in the history of Rathlin, lighthouses and island histories and will help advocate for the unique site and its heritage. A multimedia installation is currently envisaged, potentially with a strong soundscape element. This can be solely online or it may be both online and offline but there must be an online representation (e.g. a short film) from this Fellowship project.
The output(s) from this Fellowship project will be created by the Fellow with co-design input from the co-investigators and the Rathlin Oral History Group. Author/creatorship will therefore be: Fellow, with Dr Clare Mulholland, Dr Jessica Bates, Dr Sarah Lappin, Mr Laurence Lord and the Rathlin Island Oral History Group.
Required Skills & Experience
Essential skills
- Demonstrable track record as an artist, architect, designer, filmmaker, or interdisciplinary creative practitioner.
- Strong portfolio evidencing the creation of high-quality installations, exhibitions, films, immersive experiences, or multimedia artworks.
- Experience working with oral histories, personal narratives, community stories, or archival materials.
- Experience synthesising multiple forms of media (audio, video, photography, text, objects, archives) into a coherent artistic output.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with participants, communities, heritage organisations, cultural institutions, or research teams.
- Commitment to inclusive, participatory, and ethical approaches to engagement.
- Proven experience delivering creative projects within agreed timelines and budgets.
- Strong project planning and organisational skills.
Desirable skills
- Experience with immersive technologies such as projection mapping, sound design, digital storytelling, AR/VR, or interactive media.
- Experience working with underrepresented, rural, island, minority, or intergenerational communities.
- Experience co-designing projects with participants and stakeholders.
- Ability to create outputs with potential for touring, digital dissemination, educational use, or long-term community benefit.
Potential Outcomes
Applicants are encouraged to propose outcomes that reflect their creative approach and the focus of their fellowship. These will incorporate:
- An original creative interpretation of Rathlin East Lighthouse.
- A multimedia installation or equivalent public-facing work, potentially incorporating sound.
- Creative use of existing oral-history, social-history and multimedia research.
- A work that helps connect the heritage of the East Lighthouse with its future regeneration.
Fellowship Value
The Fellowship will be offered up to £10,000 and applicants will be required to provide a full breakdown of costs. Eligible costs include the Fellow’s time, consumables or materials, travel, accommodation and subsistence. Equipment costs are ineligible. Costs associated with Studentships or PhD study are ineligible. Applicants should indicate the funding amount requested. The evaluation panel may recommend a different amount based on the proposal content and budget justification.
How to Apply
Please apply through this form. Please complete all sections by 23:45 on Thursday, 22nd of October 2026.