The search for the best Northern Artists is here

The prestigious New Light Art Prize is now open for entries. The biennial open prize exhibition which celebrates talent bred and nurtured in the North of England is now open with prizes including the £10,000 New Light Valeria Sykes Award, the £2,500 New Light Patron’s Choice Award and the New Light Emerging Artists Prize sponsored by the Saul Hay Gallery who will host a solo show by the winner.

The New Light Prize Exhibition, established in 2011, has become one of the UK’s largest and most talked about open touring exhibitions and offers some of the region’s best awards and opportunities for aspiring and established artists.

The judging process will run from May until July 2023 where some of the UK’s best art experts will choose who will be shortlisted for one of the many prizes. Judges includes Olivia Heron, Curator of The Whitworth Gallery, Matthew Hall, Director of Panter and Hall, London, Nan Perell, New York Collector specialising in contemporary British paintings, Mark Demsteader, renowned figurative artist and Rebekah Tadd, Development Director of New Light Art.

Prize winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on 29th September 2023 at The Williamson Art Gallery and Museum in Birkenhead where their artwork will feature in a prestigious launch exhibition. It will then embark on its biggest ever tour to Bankside Gallery, London, Rheged Arts Centre, Penrith, The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle, Northumberland and finishing at The Mercer Gallery in Harrogate on 31st December 2024.

Rebekah Tadd, Development Director at New Light says: “This is a wonderful opportunity for new and established artists to get their work seen by thousands of people in some of the finest galleries in the UK. Those shortlisted will exhibit their work across the UK, from Cheshire to Yorkshire, Northumberland, Cumbria and London.

“Our aim is to support Northern artists; whether that’s artists who grew up in the North, studied or currently live in the North – it is an area that breeds so much talent. At this time of financial uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to support artists by providing opportunities to exhibit their work. We are delighted to be working with The Williamson Art Gallery and Museum to create a fabulous launch and awards ceremony and the following tour is our biggest yet, spanning 14 months.”

Artists who were born, live or have studied in one of the historic counties of the North of England – Cumbria, Durham, Lancashire, Northumberland, Yorkshire and – for the first time – Cheshire, can submit their work online via www.newlight-art.org. Entry into the competition costs £20 for the first two pieces of artwork and £10 for any subsequent entries.

Past New Light shortlisted artists who have had huge success with exhibitions across the UK and further afield include Norman Ackroyd CBE RA, Anne Desmet RA, Maxwell Doig, Mark Demsteader, Christopher Cook, Mandy Payne, James Naughton and Jo Taylor.

The full list of prizes include:

The £10,000 New Light Valeria Sykes Award – open to all artists over 18 with a connection to the North of England, whether through birth, degree level study or residence
The £2,500 New Light Patron’s Choice Award – presented on the night of the private view where all exhibited works are considered
The New Light Emerging Artists Prize sponsored by The Saul Hay Gallery – offering mentoring, professional advice and exhibition opportunities including a solo show
The New Light Printmakers’ Prize sponsored by Zillah Bell Gallery – all forms of original printmaking are eligible; the winner will be offered a solo exhibition at the Zillah Bell gallery in North Yorkshire, host to some of the UK’s very best printmakers’ shows
The New Light Visitors’ Choice Award – visitors are asked to vote for their favourite work at each venue
New Light Purchase Prize – the winner’s work is purchased by the charity to add to its Collection
Sheffield-based artist, Joanna Whittle, who won the Valeria Sykes Award in 2020 for her oil-on-copper painting ‘Sorrowing Cloth’ says: “It has been fantastic to be involved with the New Light Prize Exhibition and the support has been amazing. Winning the Valeria Sykes Award allowed me time and space to reflect on and develop my practice which has been invaluable and allowed me to take new and enriching steps in my work.”

Established in 2010, New Light is a charity that celebrates and promotes both well-known and emerging artists by offering some of the region’s best awards and opportunities. As well as the New Light Prize, it runs New Light Art for All, an education programme which includes talks, workshops and school projects. In 2021 it launched the New Light Collection which aims to make the best in Northern visual arts available to more people, by loaning pieces free of charge to public bodies and charities.

The common thread through everything New Light does is a deep belief that the visual arts matter and the north of England deserves to be celebrated. New Light is run by a dedicated group of people who are passionate about the visual arts in the north of England and relies entirely on donations and sponsorship.

For more information visit www.newlight-art.org.uk