I’m excited to share the shortlist for the 2024 New Blood Art Emerging Art Prize, as well as introduce you to the remarkable judges who are bringing their expertise to this year’s prize.
The Selection Panel: Bridging Art, Education, and Enterprise
The UK is renowned for its creativity, its entrepreneurial spirit, and its world-class creative education system. These strengths produce some of the finest creative talent globally, yet the systems in place often fail to empower these individuals to build sustainable careers. Many creatives are highly sensing and therefore sensitive individuals whose strengths lie in artistic vision rather than navigating the entrepreneurial and commercial demands of the market. Without the right tools and support, this extraordinary talent risks being lost.
The New Blood Art Emerging Art Prize, launched in 2023, addresses this gap by combining expertise from the fields of entrepreneurship, education, creative mentoring and the commercial art market.
The Prize has previously benefited from judges in fields such as art education and art patronage, including Professor Anita Taylor, Dean of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, founder of Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize and Serenella Ciclitira, a renowned art patron and collector and founder of StART art fair. Their expertise underscores the Prize’s commitment to bridging gaps between education, entrepreneurship, and commercial success in the arts.
At the heart of this ecosystem are fine art tutors, whose role is foundational in shaping the creative and critical thinking of emerging artists. The New Blood Art Emerging Art Prize is a collaboration with these tutors – the Prize wouldn’t exist without them. Their insights, mentorship, and nominations shape the selection process, and they always provide the first layer of support for artists, nurturing the artistic identities and practices that form the bedrock of sustainable creative careers. This partnership is a vital bridge between art education and the commercial art world, ensuring emerging talent is championed and supported as it transitions beyond the academic environment.
This years judging panel includes Peter Hargreaves, one of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs and passionate art collector, who provides insight into building a commercial and sustainable career; Jim Rajan, founder of the first ever school for sensitives – The Subtle Qualities School who brings a unique understanding of empowering deeply creative individuals; and Sarah Ryan, founder of New Blood Art and the prize who bridges the worlds of education, creativity, and entrepreneurship.
New Blood Art’s 20-year legacy of working with fledgling artists and universities positions us uniquely to address this challenge. By celebrating and empowering creatives, the Prize lays the foundation for a future where the UK’s world-class creative talent can thrive and build sustainable careers and contributing meaningfully to the global creative economy.
Read more about the judges here
As the founder of New Blood Art and this prize, it’s been a privilege to bring together judges with such diverse and inspiring perspectives. I’m so excited for the insight they’ll bring to selecting the winner.
