The twenty artists shortlisted for the Arts Foundation Futures Awards 2023 have been announced across five award categories: Bio Design, Dance Theatre, Digital Art, Electronic Music and Place Writing.
The annual Arts Foundation Futures Awards identify, support and celebrate the UK’s most promising artists and creatives at a pivotal moment in their career, providing £65,000 in unconditional grant funding, awarding five transformative £10,000 Fellowships, with all Shortlisted Artists receiving £1,000 towards the development of their practice.
The awards mark 30 years of the Arts Foundation’s support for independent artists and creatives in the UK since it was founded in 1993, and whose alumni include eminent artistic practitioners, such as Wayne McGregor, Asif Kapadia, Ali Smith, Rufus Norris and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye.
The five winning Fellows receiving £10,000, will be revealed at an Award Ceremony on 23 February 2023, presented in partnership with Leeds 2023: Year of Culture.
Kully Thiarai, Creative Director and CEO of Leeds 2023 and Arts Foundation Trustee, said:
“Leeds 2023 is thrilled to be hosting the prestigious Arts Foundation Futures Awards 2023, which has become an industry marker for future artistic excellence across wide-ranging art forms. We look forward to celebrating and welcoming extraordinary artists from across the UK to the city.”
Mary Jane Edwards, Director of the Arts Foundation said:
“The ingenuity and breadth of the Arts Foundation Futures Awards 2023 Shortlisted Artists is hugely energising. Unfortunately, we are still navigating a difficult period for the cultural sector, most keenly felt by our independent artists and freelancers. Now, more than ever the opportunity afforded by the Arts Foundation Futures Awards in recognising and financially supporting the livelihoods of artists and creatives feels so vital and urgent.”
You can explore the Shortlisted Artists’ work on the Arts Foundation website and watch the Award Ceremony announcements via Instagram Live on 23 February 2023.
Read the Press Release here.
The full Press Pack and Artist Images can be viewed online here.