Research

The Research Programme is central to the activities of the Institute. Through it, we aim to encourage research into sculpture both within our walls and without, acting as a hub to develop a network of people with a particular interest in sculpture. Each year we offer a number of fellowships, enabling researchers of different backgrounds and disciplines to develop their work at the Institute. Scholars, artists and curators interested in working on historic and contemporary sculpture are given full access to the Institute's library, archive of sculptors' papers and the collection of Leeds Museums & Galleries.

The HMI Research fellows for 2011-2012 include: Jon Thompson, Robert Slifkin, Jeremy Howard, Allan Antliff, Gülru Çakmak, Daniel Zec, Paul Becker, Francesco Pedraglio and Pil and Galia Kollectiv.

We collaborate with universities and other research-focused arts organisations, often participating as an academic partner in AHRC projects. We also work closely with the National Sound Archive's 'Artists' Lives' recording project, conducting interviews with living sculptors. We start every academic year with an Open Day in mid-October that offers behind-the-scenes tours of the galleries, collection, library and archive, as well as an introduction to our forthcoming exhibitions, research programme and events. This is also when we advertise our annual post-graduate internship scheme and the HMI Essay and Dissertation Prize.

Our annual events include three series of Wednesday evening talks accompanying each main gallery exhibition, as well as international conferences, lectures and seminars that examine the definitions and understandings of historic, modern and contemporary sculpture.