Research bursary dedicated to former city Art Curator is relaunched
9 November 2020
A research bursary established in the memory a long-serving member of the City Council’s staff has been relaunched, and applications are now open.
Maureen Attrill worked at the former Plymouth Museum and Art Gallery for nearly 33 years before her sudden death in February 2011. During that time she made several key acquisitions for the city’s collections and masterminded a number of exhibitions based on hers and other peoples’ research.
Thanks to the generosity of Maureen’s family, The Box Foundation (a charitable organisation that supports The Box) and the former Friends of Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, applications are now welcomed for a bursary of up to £1,250 to support a research project linked to The Box’s art collections.
The bursary can be used to fund travel expenses, attendance at conferences, seminars or events, materials, books and childcare costs.
Undergraduates or postgraduates from the:
- University of Plymouth
- University of St Mark and St John
- Plymouth College of Art
- University of Exeter
- Arts University Bournemouth
- South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
- University of Bristol
as well as:
- members of the University of the Third Age
- South West-based museum staff
- South West-based freelance researchers
- South West-based Open University students
are particularly encouraged to apply.
The successful applicant will be expected to produce a project summary and a 1,000+ word article on their findings. They will also be offered the opportunity to present their research as part of The Box’s events programme in 2021.
Applications to the Foundation can be made via this website and will close at midday on Monday 21 December. The winner will be announced on 25 February 2021.
Deputy Leader, Councillor Peter Smith said:
We’re thrilled to be able to bring this bursary scheme, which was originally launched in 2014, back to life. Maureen firmly believed in the importance of research and its ability to enhance the public’s enjoyment of and engagement with museum collections. The art collections at The Box are a wonderful source of inspiration with paintings, works on paper, ceramics, sculpture, craft, textiles and more. It will be really interesting to see which topics people show an interest in exploring in more detail.
Image: Maureen Attrill, c. 1980. Courtesy of the Attrill family.