The Fresh Milk Art Platform is thrilled to announce architect and designer Karla Nicholls as the recipient of our pilot Ecological Archives Fellowship!
This opportunity grants $10,580 BBD for a local independent researcher to create a mixed-media bibliography and narrative of memory dedicated to the Barbadian landscape, its transformation over time, and a genealogy of the eco-critical activism carried out to protect the integrity of our various ecosystems.
Congratulations, Karla!
Read the full jury report below
Jury Report: The Ecological Archives Fellowship
Background
This pilot fellowship is made possible with joint funding from Peter Lewis, through the Colleen
Lewis Reading Room Slow Reading Programme, and from the Peter Moores Barbados Trust. Fresh Milk shared the Call for Applications for this pilot Fellowship on the 1st of June
2026, which received extensive engagement through our social media platforms prior to the
submission deadline of June 26th.
Eligibility of candidates was based primarily on 1) being locally based in Barbados 2)
being 21 years of age or older, and 3) being available to work eight hours a week in the Colleen
Lewis Reading Room, archival institutions or conducting field work. The Call was extended to
applicants from a variety of backgrounds, such as (but not limited to) environmental/conservation scientists; journalists; librarians; archivists; art researchers etc.
Procedure
The first stage of the application asked interested applicants to respond via Google Forms to
three questions regarding the following criteria:
● Precedence of work — The Application should provide a concrete background of formal
and/or informal: studies, work, and/or activities relevant to the themes of the
Fellowship.
● Criticality — The Application should demonstrate a reflexive perspective that leads
through constructive questioning, curiosity and innovative contextual understanding.
● Eco-centric Creativity — The Application reflects a creative approach to the Fellowship
goals which centres experimentation and a desire to re-think the role the Archives and
storytelling can have in nurturing a relationship of stewardship to our ecosystems
In contrast to the high amount of interest and engagement with the publicity of the
Call for Applications, a total of seven applications were received.
Submissions were reviewed by the Jury, consisting of:
● The Fresh Milk team (representing 1 vote);
● Peter Lawrence Thompson, Fresh Milk Advisory Board member;
● Dr. Robin Mahon, retired Director and Professor Emeritus at the Centre for Resource
Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES), at the University of the West Indies
(UWI), and Chair of the Executive Group of The Land Conservancy Barbados;
● Dr. Carla Daniel, Director of Public Awareness and Education with the Barbados Sea
Turtle Project.
The Jury convened virtually on July 8th to discuss the results and determine the shortlist of
candidates. Four candidates from distinct professional backgrounds stood out, and were invited to the interview stage:
● Justin Jeffers, Landscape Architect, Sculptor and Photographer
● Shernise Mayers-Springer, Assistant Conservator within a national digitisation initiative
with a background in Environmental Science
● Karla Nicholls, Architect and Designer
● Fatima Patel, Geography Teacher
On July 23rd each candidate was invited to a 30-minute interview process with the Jury,
facilitated by Annalee Davis, in which they were asked to present their specific proposal more
in-depth, as well as respond to questions pertinent to the objectives of the Fellowship, such as
using mixed-media methods and avenues of research, gathering oral histories, creating the
structural legibility for the archive, and making the archive relevant to a variety of audiences.
After a thorough elaboration amongst the Jury, a consensus was reached: we are thrilled to
award our inaugural Ecological Archives Fellowship to Karla Nicholls!
Comments
Karla’s clarity and sense of purpose were especially strong during the interview stage,
complementing her written submission, which established her compelling emphasis on an
environmental justice approach. Her multidisciplinary background, spanning visual arts and
design, architectural projects, civic environmental activism, and research consultancy, makes
her a promising fit to lead the foundation of this inaugural Fellowship. The jury determined that
Karla clearly understood the Fellowship’s goal to create a mixed-media bibliography and
narrative of memory dedicated to the Barbadian landscape, its transformation over time, and a
genealogy of eco-critical activism.
Please join us in extending our heartfelt congratulations! We look forward to engaging with
Karla over the next eleven months and sharing insights into her process across our platforms.
About Karla Nicholls:
Karla Nicholls is a Barbadian born designer, writer and social entrepreneur who designs and
creates intricate, contemporary Caribbean pieces inspired by and using natural and sustainable
materials as well as utilizing new techniques such as digital fabrication.
As well as making a splash in the design space Karla is also active in the areas of sustainability,
youth engagement and community service and has volunteered at several local organizations.
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