UAL Storytelling Fellowship 2024-2025

Are you a pioneer of storytelling for social change?

This Fellowshp supports up to eight fellows with a free training programme in impact production. Fellows will learn the skills of impact production, routes to impact and develop impact plans and campaigns for their projects.

Impact Production is a profession and set of skills that has developed over the last 18 years, out of the work of DocSociety and their Impact Field Guide. Originally developed for documentary producers this practice is being used in other genres such as XR, theatre and writing.

This programme takes the training of impact production into a wider range of disciplines including TV, fiction film, novels, non-fiction writing, journalism, theatre, XR/immersive/interactive, games and audio/podcasts, animation, comic books and creative documentaries and docufiction.

What is the Storytelling Training Fellowship in Impact production?

The Fellowship is a structured training programme designed to provide specialist training, mentorship and professional development in Impact production. The interdisciplinary training Fellowship offers the opportunity to acquire new skills, gain a deeper understanding and get hands-on experience of Impact Production. A team of trainers will draw on successful methodologies from many years of expertise delivering impact-focussed workshops, campaign development and festivals.

Objectives

The objectives of the Fellowship are to:

Equip the Fellows with impact production skills and strengthen their understanding of change

Assist and mentor the Fellows in crafting an impact plan that is tailored to their projects with the intention to maximise the influence of their work

Provide a practical, hands-on learning experience through workshops, case studies and mentorship

Explore the benefits of a cross-disciplinary impact training programme that broadens the application of impact production skills across different creative practices

The programme

The UAL Storytelling Fellowship runs from November 2024 to June 2025.

The programme combines lectures, group work, case studies, and hands-on activities across various media ensuring participants learn the theoretical aspects of impact production and apply them in real-world scenarios with their creative projects while gaining a holistic understanding of impact production work. Daily reflection time is included. The Fellows are expected to participate in discussions, and interviews and surveys for evaluation.

The programme begins with a 5-day intensive week and is followed by a six-month mentoring programme. It includes:

08 November 2024

Introductory online meeting, 2pm BST

25 - 29 November 2024

1-Week Impact Production Lab offering the core training on impact production.

Programme topics cover:

Introduction to impact production and Impact strategy development

Targeting audiences: where to find them, prioritise segments and building personas, and how to effectively reach them.

Creative strategies: How to stand out from the crowd and evaluating creative possibilities

Partnership building for impact

Ethical responsibilities: avoiding stereotypes, cultural sensitivities, respecting subjects and collaborators

Impact plans, evaluation techniques and impact campaigns including budgets, timelines and teams

Tools and resources for impact production

December 2024 – May 2025

6-month mentoring programme (exact dates tbc)

Monthly online sessions where the trainers / impact producers offer guidance as Fellows develop their impact production plan

January, March, May 2025

Bi-monthly group sessions (exact dates tbc)

May or June 2025

One online closing session (May or June 2025)

Who can apply

The programme offers free places to 6-8 interdisciplinary storytelling professionals and practitioners from:

TV
Fiction film
Fiction writing / novels
Non-fiction writing
Journalism
Theatre
XR/Immersive/Interactive
Games
Audio / Podcast
Animation
Comic books
Creative documentary and docufiction

Fellows must prioritise “impact first”, aiming to create positive change in the world. Supporting creatives in making real world change is the Institute’s mission.

While an understanding of how change happens, of impact strategy, narrative change or impact production is not a prerequisite for applying, a commitment to using your art or media to change the world, is essential.

Fellows can be at any career stage but must have had at least one project launched or broadcast.

Fellows will bring a project that is already developed and ready for production or in production, but not launched publicly yet. It needs to have a clear social impact potential and a clear timescale for launch, broadcast or release.

Eligibility criteria

All applicants must:

Have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the Fellowship
Be in London for the in-person sessions
Be able to commit to the whole programme
Be active in one of the disciplines stated in the section ‘The Fellows’
Bring a project from their own practice that has been fully developed but has not yet launched. The project should have completed its development stages and be preparing for a launch in the foreseeable future. It should have a clear artistic vision and should be close to or in the process of creation.
Have an interest specifically in the development of impact and in making a difference with their work
Be fluent in English

What we offer

Travel and accommodation expenses in London for the 1-week Lab for participants from the UK who come from outside London
Although we welcome international applicants, we are unable to cover the cost of international travel and/or visa costs. If you are accepted on the programme, we will cover the cost of your accommodation for the 1-week Lab in London. You will be responsible to book your travel and/or visa expenses

Limitations

The Fellows are participants to the Fellowship programme of the AKO Storytelling Institute and not staff or students of UAL. This means that you will not receive legal support, HR support, Library access, access to UAL buildings, UAL short courses and any other benefits.

The AKO Storytelling Institute is unable to offer dedicated studio space, production costs or additional expenses associated with childcare, legal support, materials or general living costs including financial support with VISA costs.

Key dates

Deadline for applications: Thursday 05 September 2024, 5pm (BST)

Notification of results: 16 – 20 September 2024

Pre-Fellowship meeting: 08 November 2024

One-week Lab in-person, in London: 25 – 29 November 2024

Mentorship programme: 02 December 2024 – 30 May 2025

Bi-monthly Group mentoring sessions: January, March, May 2025

End session: May or June 2025

Contact

If you have any questions that are not covered in the FAQ, please email us at storytelling@arts.ac.uk.

Further information

The number of Fellows we will select for this Programme

We plan to select up to 8 Fellows for the Storytelling Fellowship 24/25.

What qualifies as a Storytelling Fellowship project?

For the purposes of our fellowship programme, a project could be a piece of artistic output that aims to engage audiences and aims to influence real-world change, in the following disciplines or practices:

TV
Fiction film
Fiction writing / novels
Non-fiction writing
Journalism
Theatre
XR/Immersive/Interactive
Games
Audio / Podcast
Animation
Comic books
Creative documentary and docufiction.

Non-eligible projects

We discourage applications involving:

a project in concept stage
a project that has been launched
a project where the artistic merit and experience are high but the creator’s aim and intent for social impact is minimal.

What we expect of you as a Fellow

a commitment to the fellowship and your cohort: attendance of the pre-Fellowship meeting, the 1-week Lab, the mentorship programme and the closing event is mandatory
an open mind and a respect for the experience and views of the other fellows
a commitment to developing an impact plan an ongoing relationship with the Institute and UAL community beyond the length of the fellowship

Your commitment to the Fellowship

You will be required to attend:

1 online pre-meeting of up to 2 hours (08 November at 2pm BST)
5 in-person full days in London, 25 – 29 November 2024
6 online mentor sessions, December – May 2025
3 online group mentor sessions January, March and May 2025
1 online closing session in May or June 2025.

As part of the workshop sessions, we will set aside time each day for reflections on what you learned. You should also be prepared to participate in group meetings to discuss learnings and to be interviewed by the Institute team and/or to complete surveys as part of our evaluation process. Your other professional commitments

You can have other professional commitments while being a Fellow but we need your full commitment for the in-person Lab week, mentorship programme and online activities (like the pre-Fellowship meeting). It will not be possible for you to do any other work during the week of the lab.

Your project might be part of your work or a sideline or a core part of your work for the year.

Eligibility Criteria

You can apply if you are:

a self-employed freelancer
a part-time employee who can commit to the fellowship in addition to your existing work commitments
a full-time employees who have the support of their host organisation.

Right to work in the UK

You do not need to be a British citizen but you must have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the Fellowship.

The AKO Storytelling Institute will not financially support visa applications for entry to the UK.

Group applications

We welcome group applications of not more than 2-3 creatives. We are unable to accommodate larger groups.

In the case of group applications, we can only cover travel and accommodation for one person from the group.

The theme of your project

Your project can be about anything as long as it has a strong impact aim.

Location

You do not need to live or work in London but you will need to be in London for the in-person sessions.

UAL staff and students

UAL staff and students are welcome to apply. If applying as a student, fellows must show a professional artistic career as well. Post grad, PhD candidates, Post docs, lecturers and researchers are all also welcome to apply.

Renumeration

This is not paid work for which we will cover your time. This is a free training programme.

The participation fee

The is no participation fee and participation is free for the successful applicants.

Your level of experience

We welcome different levels of experience of artistic practice. There is no upper age limit for applications.

Applications from organisations

An individual from an organisation is welcome to apply but not the organisation itself.

The support we will give you

We offer a workshop-based programme of applied learning and a bespoke mentorship programme. The mentors will support the development of your impact plan.

We cover the travel and accommodation expenses of the Fellows who come from outside London for your stay in London.

Application process

Read the full Call for applications for the Storytelling Fellowship 2024-2025
Before applying read the Frequently Asked Questions (PDF 146KB)
Please read our Privacy notice