We congratulate Sofía Ramírez Sandoval and Lilien Ezeugwu on their selection as 2025 King's College London Venice Fellows. The Venice Fellowship offers exceptional students the chance to gain behind the scenes knowledge of the workings of one of the world's most important cultural events and a context in which to peruse self-guided research in the rich, stimulating context of the Biennale and the city of Venice. Sofía and Lilien have each proposed a distinctive and innovative research project that draws on their own past work to engage thoughtfully with the urgent themes of the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale. We hope that the Fellowship will enable Sofia and Lilien to expand their professional networks and to build a supportive research community that will sustain them as they meet the complex challenges and expansive opportunities that lie ahead in their future careers in the cultural and creative sector.
Dr Clare Carolin, Senior Lecturer in Art and Public Engagement, Director of Educational Partnerships and Collaborations, Department of Culture, Media and Creative Industries
28 April 2025
King's announces its 2025 Venice Student Fellows
Sofía Ramírez Sandoval (CMCI MA) and Lilien Ezeugwu (CMCI PhD) will participate in the 2025 Venice Biennale.
Sofía Ramírez Sandoval (CMCI MA) and Lilien Ezeugwu (CMCI PhD) have been selected as King’s Student Fellows for the Venice Fellowships Programme, supported by British Council and the Department of Culture, Media and Creative Industries at King’s.
The Fellows will spend a month in Venice during the 2025 Architecture Biennale. They will support the exhibition at the British Pavilion as Exhibition Ambassadors and work on developing their own independent research or creative project, inspired by the Biennale and Venice.
Sofía Ramírez Sandoval’s research project is a documentary which will explore the representation of diaspora in the Architecture Exhibition’s National Pavilions and how it helps to address global matters, such as the climate crisis.
Because I studied a BA in International Relations, I was fascinated by the collaboration between the UK and Kenya for this year’s exhibition at the Architecture Biennale. I became interested in the Venice Fellowships Programme because my undergraduate dissertation focused on La Biennale as a space in which culture is a soft power asset, using the Chinese Pavilion as a case study. Since then, it has been a goal of mine to work in one of the most important exhibitions in the world. I strongly believe the benefits of exchanging knowledge with people from different background and perspectives; thus I was also drawn to the programme as a networking opportunity and as a potential springboard.
Sofía Ramírez Sandoval, MA student, Department of Culture, Media and Creative Industries
Lilien Ezeugwu is an African cultural heritage researcher, curator, and artist committed to preserving endangered cultures and fostering global cultural exchange. Her work bridges craft histories, sustainable heritage conservation and the transformative power of art in marginalised communities. As a curator and educator, she spotlights endangered narratives while advancing interdisciplinary dialogue on the socio-economic value of creativity. Her experiences span curatorial exhibitions, tourism, and creative economy, equipping her to engage diverse audiences and highlight cultural resilience.
Through the Venice Fellowship, Lilien aims to collaborate with artisans and institutions to foster mutual learning, cultural dialogue, and community building. Her project entitled ‘Threads of Heritage: A Dialogue Between Africa and Venice' will emphasise sustainable cultural preservation through a documentary film and a curated art exhibition.
In Venice, I intend to explore the intersections of endangered African artistic traditions and Venetian craftsmanship, aligning with the 2025 Venice Biennale's focus on resilience and the embedded relationship between architecture and the environment. My documentary film will capture my experiences and adventures in Venice, including interactions with local artisans, reflections on the architectural and craft heritage of the regions, delivering insights into how African traditional heritage can engage with Venetian craftsmanship to address global sustainability challenges. I will also organise and curate an art exhibition that reimagines forgotten African motifs in dialogue with Venetian architectural forms, illustrating how heritage can contribute to contemporary conversations on sustainability, inclusivity and resilience.
Lilien Ezeugwu, PhD student, Department of Culture, Media and Creative Industries
A key part of the British Council’s presence in Venice, the Venice Fellowships Programme aims to support the exhibition programme and offer a platform for the development of new creative careers and future leaders.
Each year, the Venice Fellowship Programme sends approximately 70 UK-based students and researchers to the Biennale for one month, and two places are available for King’s Arts and Humanities graduate students.
The British Council has been the commissioner of the British Pavillion at the Venice Biennale since 1937. The 2025 British Pavilion exhibition will reflect the British Council's focus year of collaboration between the UK and Kenya.
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Senior Lecturer in Art and Public Engagament