2026 Student Residency Award Winners Announced

The Banks Mill Student Residency Award, delivered as part of University of Derby’s Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Service, provides students and recent graduates with access to a professional creative studio at Banks Mill on Bridge Street, Derby.

The award offers a fully funded 12-month studio residency, alongside opportunities to develop new work and business skills, connect with other creative practitioners and showcase their work. The winners will also can exhibit as part of Banks Mill’s annual Open Studios event at the end of November, which attracts more than 1,000 visitors over the weekend.

This year’s winners represent a diverse range of creative practices, from illustration and fine art to sculpture and therapeutic approaches to creativity, highlighting the breadth of emerging talent within the University of Derby.

Meet the 2026 winners

Adoniah Haslam – Illustration, fine art and creative practice

Adoniah Haslam, known as Syahi graduated from the University of Derby in 2024 with a BA (Hons) Illustration and runs Syahi Studio.

With a creative practice spanning illustration, fine art, music, video creation and mural design, Syahi is looking forward to using the Banks Mill studio to focus on self-published comic books and paintings.

The residency will give Syahi dedicated space to develop these projects while building on his wider creative practice and developing his work as an independent creative practitioner.  Syahi was behind the recently unveiled mural at Derby’s Vaillant Live events space.

Gabrielle Distin – Fine art and ‘Hypno-Art’

Gabrielle Distin recently graduated from the University of Derby with a BA (Hons) Fine Art. Her practice explores memory, domesticity and the emotional weight carried by everyday objects and spaces that can often be overlooked.

During her residency, Gabrielle plans to bring together her creative practice with her clinical hypnotherapy skills to explore ‘Hypno-Art’ – an approach combining creative processes and therapeutic techniques to encourage reflection and self-expression.

The studio will provide Gabrielle with a dedicated space to experiment with this developing practice and explore new ways of bringing art and therapeutic approaches together, she comments: “Having a year’s residency at Banks Mill gives me the precious space to think, experiment and develop my practice, while being part of a creative community that feels particularly meaningful as I take the next steps beyond university.”

Elizabeth Palmer – Contemporary sculpture and installation

Elizabeth Palmer  is currently studying a Master’s degree in Fine Art at the University of Derby and is due to graduate in November.

Elizabeth hopes to use her residency to develop her creative practice and take further steps into the art world as a contemporary artist. Her time at Banks Mill will allow her to create new, in-depth sculptural artworks and experiences, while giving her the space to develop her work and build her professional practice.

The Student Residency Award is designed to help emerging creatives make the transition from university into professional practice, providing not only a dedicated studio but also access to the wider Banks Mill community. Residents can take part in peer support, monthly meetings with fellow tenants and other opportunities to connect, collaborate and develop their creative businesses.

For this year’s winners, the residency marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter – providing the space and support to turn ideas into new work, develop their practices and build their creative careers in Derby.

Pictured left to right Gabby Distin, Libby Palmer and Adoniah Haslam