Organizer Information
The Fitzrovia Chapel, designed by Victorian Gothic Revival architect John Loughborough Pearson (1817–1897), was built between 1891 and 1892 as the chapel of the former Middlesex Hospital, commissioned as a memorial to Major Alexander Henry Ross, longtime Chairman of the Hospital's Board of Governors. The first service was held on Christmas Day 1891, with an official opening by the Bishop of London in June 1892; the chapel's interior decoration, overseen after Pearson's death by his son Frank Loughborough Pearson, was not completed until 1929, and includes more than 40 types of marble in a design drawing on Byzantine and Gothic European architectural traditions. The Middlesex Hospital itself dated back to the 1740s and closed in 2005; the hospital was demolished between 2008 and 2015, but the chapel — a Grade II* listed building — was preserved, restored, and renamed the Fitzrovia Chapel. Following restoration funded as a condition of planning permission for the surrounding Fitzroy Place development, the chapel reopened to the public in 2016 under the care of the Fitzrovia Chapel Foundation, an independent charity established to maintain, preserve, and run the building. Today it operates as a cultural space focused on creative health and wellbeing, hosting an artistic programme supporting emerging and established artists; the inaugural Curators in Residence for 2026 were Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard.
Title & Description
Curator-in-Residence for 2028 — The Fitzrovia Chapel
The Fitzrovia Chapel is seeking an experienced curator to collaborate on a series of art exhibitions throughout 2028, developing and delivering an arts programme that builds on the chapel's cultural programme to date and aligns with its strategic direction. As Curator-in-Residence, the successful candidate will play a pivotal role in developing the programme around the chapel's identity as a place for creative health and wellbeing, working closely with the chapel's team to curate exhibitions and public programming that engage both the local and wider community. Through these exhibitions, the Curator-in-Residence will contribute to the chapel's mission as a place of both historical significance and contemporary relevance.
The Role Overview
- Position Type: Approximately 60 days of work across the year
- Contract Type: Fixed-term residency for calendar year 2028
- Fee: £22,050, based on a day rate of £367.50 across approximately 60 days
- Department / Programme: Fitzrovia Chapel exhibition and cultural programme
Position & Tasks
- Curate and deliver an annual programme of three exhibitions for 2028, scheduled for January/early February 2028, April 2028, and October/November 2028, with associated interpretation and events
- Work alongside the chapel team to agree ideas and concepts, draw up plans and timetables, and select artists/artworks for each exhibition
- Be onsite for installation and de-rig of each exhibition
- Collaborate with the chapel team on promotion, marketing, and local knowledge for each exhibition (the chapel team leads this aspect, working with the curator)
- Contribute to the chapel's developing cultural profile and its mission of being a welcoming, inclusive space that reflects its heritage while actively participating in the cultural life of the surrounding area
Categories
- Curatorial Practice
- Exhibition Production
- Visual Arts
- Public Programming
- Creative Health and Wellbeing
Eligibility
- Significant experience delivering similar curatorial projects
- Strong networks and a profile within the UK arts arena
- No stated restrictions on nationality, career stage, or formal qualifications
Program Benefits
- Fee: £22,050, based on a day rate of £367.50 for approximately 60 days of work
- Travel and accommodation budget: £2,625, covering travel, accommodation, and any research trips
- Support from the chapel's team throughout the projects, including on promotion, marketing, and local knowledge
- No fundraising required — the exhibition programme has its own dedicated budget
- Health/pension/other standard employment benefits: Not specified in the source (fee-based engagement, not stated as a standard salaried employment contract)
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Email application to madeleine@fitzroviachapel.org
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 8 September 2026
- Interview Date: 19 October 2026
Location
London, United Kingdom
Additional Details
- Applicants needing access support or accommodations for their application, or with queries, can email madeleine@fitzroviachapel.org or call 020 3409 9895 and leave a message
- The chapel is Grade II* listed and open to people of all faiths, beliefs, backgrounds, and cultures