The Arts Foundation announce the four Shortlisted Artists of the Arts Foundation Futures Awards 2025 for Visual Art. 

The Visual Art Award includes artists working in any area of the visual arts including installation, sculpture, photography, sound, painting and cross art-form practice. Meet the Shortlist: 

Exodus Crooks 

Exodus Crooks is a British-Jamaican multidisciplinary artist and educator, interested in self-determination and how it is steered by religion and spirituality.

Mani Kambo 

Mani Kambo is a multidisciplinary artist primarily working in textile, print and moving image, based in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Raheel Khan

Raheel Khan is an artist and musician exploring the interstices of sound, installation and performance. 

Leo Robinson  

Leo Robinson lives and works in Glasgow. In his work, Leo constructs speculative systems of knowledge and ritual through the lenses of religion, psychoanalysis, and diasporic experience.

With thanks to our independent Jury members: Associate Curator of Modern & Contemporary Projects, The National Gallery Priyesh Mistry; Artist Sinta Tantra; and Curator of Liverpool Biennial, Marie-Anne McQuay said:

“The Arts Foundation Futures Awards are an affirmative and confidence-boosting platform for artists, that comes with much-needed financial resources. It’s been an honour to participate with my fellow jurors, Sinta Tantra and Priyesh Mistry and wonderful to encounter practitioners from across the whole breadth of the UK. It’s a huge privilege to immerse in the timely and often poignant work of the four shortlisted artists: Exodus Crooks, Mani Kambo, Raheel Khan and Leo Robinson, all of whom have been recognised for their distinctive contributions to Visual Art. Each is outstanding in their own right; Crooks whose multidisciplinary practice tenderly centres Black disaporic experience, relationships with self and spirituality; Kambo’s textiles, fabric dyeing and printmaking which draws on personal symbolism connected to religious and familial rituals & beliefs; Khan’s interlocking sound, text, installation and performance projects interrogate notions of heritage, society and collective consciousness; Robinson’s world building with mixed media and performance creates & narrates origin stories and  fictional systems of belief and knowledge.”

Priyesh Mistry added:

“It’s been such a pleasure to join the jury of this year’s Arts Foundation Futures Awards for Visual Art. All the shortlisted artists are at such exciting points in their careers. Exodus Crooks has a wonderfully unique and generous way of holding and creating space for audiences while reflecting on themes of received knowledges through the matriarchal lineage. Mani Kambo’s fascinating practice explores and reassesses the layered history of symbols and what they come to represent within our interconnected world. I was also taken by Raheel Khan’s experimentation and how he uses sound and sampling techniques to explore different personal and societal histories. Leo Robinson’s installations are unique in his questioning of heritage, combining disparate cultural traditions and philosophies to create hybrid surreal worlds that are both mythological and magical.”

The Arts Foundation has a long history of supporting visual art, and Mary Jane Edwards, Director of The Arts Foundation says:

“The four shortlisted artists’ are a testament to the strength and calibre of visual arts practice in the UK. Each artist is pursuing highly personal and original ways of thinking and making work that resonates deeply with a wider public. We are delighted to be supporting their artistic development at a critical moment in the early stages of their respective careers.”

The Visual Art Award is supported by The Yoma Sasburg Estate.

Read more about this year’s awards.

The Arts Foundation is a registered charity that supports individual artists and creatives in the UK with unconditional financial Fellowships of £20,000 through the Arts Foundation Futures Awards. Since it was founded in 1993, the Arts Foundation has awarded over £2 million to the most promising artists in the UK at a pivotal moment in their careers to enable them to concentrate on their creative development, experiment, and realise their artistic potential. 

The Arts Foundation announce the four Shortlisted Artists of the Arts Foundation Futures Awards 2025 for  Theatre. 

The Theatre Award champions theatre designers developing innovative sets or production designs for theatrical presentation.Meet the Shortlist: 

Peter Butler 

Peter Butler specialises in set and costume design, devised theatre making, site-specific performance and theatre design for new writing and classic stories.

Ethan Cheek  

Ethan Cheek is a performance designer working across theatre, film, and music. Their collaborative practice is rooted in the concept of total theatre.

TK Hay

TK is a technically inclined theatre designer producing work that simultaneously comforts and disturbs, and the primary impetus for his design work is sociopolitical. 

Khadija Raza

Khadija Raza is a theatre designer based in London. Khadija’s practice is rooted in collaboration and a love for stories, for characters, connecting the forms of art, installations, and sculpture together.

With thanks to our independent Jury members: Anna Fleischle, Production Set and Costume Designer; Production & Technical Director, The National Theatre, Paul Handley; and CEO of Shakespeare’s Globe, Stella Kanu who said:

“It was a joy to be part of the Arts Foundation Futures Awards 2025 for Theatre. As a jury, we are acutely aware of the many challenges creatives face at this time. Awards like this are vital, not only to sustain promising practitioners – but enable them to flourish within the arts and cultural sector. Each of the shortlisted creatives has a unique and thoughtful approach to their work and crucially, a clear sense of their own trajectory. We are incredibly excited to see how all of their stunning work develops and respective careers progress.”

Paul Handley added: 

“This year’s shortlist for the Arts Foundation Futures Awards for Theatre is exemplary. Each of the creatives’ practices holds a robust combination of the personal and political. I was taken by Peter Butler’s ability to convey astute social commentary with intellect without sacrificing art and Ethan Cheek’s extremely mature approach and body of work. TK Hay’s ambitious portfolio is both rigorous and generous, and Khadija Raza has navigated the industry with resilience, determination and artistic precision. All of the designers are generating inventive work under enormously difficult constraints, both from an industry and cost of living perspective. As a jury, we were all enormously impressed by their ingenuity and commitment to the art form.”

The Arts Foundation has a long history of supporting theatre and the performing arts, and Mary Jane Edwards, Director of The Arts Foundation says:

“With many theatre workers encountering barriers to career progression in the current climate, we are so pleased to support the four shortlisted artists whose work demonstrates such energetic originality. Each of the designers has pursued unique, sensitive and diverse approaches to set and production design, from conception through to production.”

The Theatre Award is generously supported in partnership with The David Collins Foundation, with development support from The Maria Björnson Memorial Fund. 

Read more about this year’s awards.

The Arts Foundation is a registered charity that supports individual artists and creatives in the UK with unconditional financial Fellowships of £20,000 through the Arts Foundation Futures Awards. Since it was founded in 1993, the Arts Foundation has awarded over £2 million to the most promising artists in the UK at a pivotal moment in their careers to enable them to concentrate on their creative development, experiment, and realise their artistic potential. 

The Arts Foundation announce the four Shortlisted Artists of the Arts Foundation Futures Awards 2025 for Film. 

The Film Award supports film directors working in any genre of fiction filmmaking, focusing on independent and inventive storytellers. Meet the Shortlist: 

Luna Carmoon

Luna Carmoon is a self-taught writer and director from South East London. Luna’s debut feature film, Hoard was met with critical acclaim, premiering at Venice in 2023.

Naqqash Khalid

Naqqash Khalid is a writer and director from Manchester. His debut feature film, IN CAMERA, was released in cinemas across the UK and Ireland in 2024.

Tina Pasotra

Tina Pasotra is a filmmaker, director and artist based in Cardiff, Wales. Tina’s debut narrative short film, ‘I Choose’ in 2020 was nominated for Best Short Film BAFTA Cymru 2021.

Fridtjof Ryder

Fridtfjof Ryder is a writer and director. His debut feature film, INLAND, premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and was long-listed for 10 BIFA awards.

With thank to our independent Jury members: Claudia Yusef, Commissioning Executive at BBC Film; Peter Suschitzky, Cinematographer and Photographer; and Joanna Hogg, Director and Screenwriter who said: 

“What excites me as a creative is an artist that has places to go, and wants to delve into themselves through their art. This is what makes the Arts Foundation Futures Awards so special, it facilitates space for young independent practitioners to experiment and take risks. All the work of the shortlisted filmmakers, Luna Carmoon, Naqqash Khalid, Tina Pasotra and Fridtjof Ryder have a palpable and infectious energy. I am hugely excited to follow their respective journeys in film and see what they do next.” 

Claudia Yusef added: 

“The legacy of the Arts Foundation Futures Awards is impressive with filmmakers such as Asif Kapadia and Carol Morley among the alumni, so it has been a pleasure to participate in this year’s Film Award jury. From Luna Carmoon’s raw and visceral cinematic work to Naqqash Khalid’s brave experimentalism, Fridtjof Ryder’s radical accomplishments at such a young age, and Tina Pasotra’s eloquent visual language and storytelling – each of the artists already brings a vibrancy and something unique to the wider film industry. As a jury, we are delighted to support their work in this way.”

The Arts Foundation has a long history of supporting film, moving image and new media, Mary Jane Edwards, Director of The Arts Foundation says:

“We are delighted to be supporting this important award, while the UK is fortunate to host many brilliant film festivals, financing and production support for emerging experimental filmmakers remains critically low. We were really moved by the depth of storytelling of the four shortlisted filmmakers, and are thrilled to support their development.”

Read more about this year’s awards.

The Arts Foundation is a registered charity that supports individual artists and creatives in the UK with unconditional financial Fellowships of £20,000 through the Arts Foundation Futures Awards. Since it was founded in 1993, the Arts Foundation has awarded over £2 million to the most promising artists in the UK at a pivotal moment in their careers to enable them to concentrate on their creative development, experiment, and realise their artistic potential. 

The Arts Foundation announce the four Shortlisted Artists of the Arts Foundation Futures Awards 2025 for Design. 

The Design Award champions contemporary designers with a focus on sustainability working across a broad range of disciplines, from product, material or industrial design to architectural practices. Meet the Shortlist: 

Ellie Birkhead 

Ellie Birkhead is a designer, maker and facilitator who uses the power of craft and creativity to bring about social change, with a particular focus on communities and material and ecological transition of the built environment.

Jacob Marks

Jacob Marks is a designer and maker. His work focuses on reimagining natural materials, often using those that are overlooked or disregarded to produce defined and distinctive contemporary works.

Lawrence Parent 

Lawrence Parent is a designer whose varied practice is a blend of art, design, and environmental activism. His work seeks to inspire a cultural shift towards sustainable living.

Kaye Song 

Kaye Song is an architectural designer and co-director of Flimsy Works. Her projects explore both the physical and emotional complexities of human landscapes.

With thanks to our independent Jury members: Sarah Douglas, Design Agent, Consultant & Advisor; Prof. Adrian Lahoud, Dean, School of Architecture and Fellow at the Royal College of Art; and Satoshi Isono, Creative Director, Universal Design Studio who said:

“It has been brilliant to discover such strong and varied creative designers through the Arts Foundation Futures Awards. Each of the shortlisted practitioners, Eleanor Birkhead, Jacob Marks, Lawrence Parent and Kaye Song has developed intricate approaches, methodologies, and a distinct design sensibility. I am excited to see where their careers take them.”

The Arts Foundation has a long history of supporting progressive and imaginative design practices having launched an award for Material Innovation a decade ago in 2014. Mary Jane Edwards, Director of The Arts Foundation says:

“We are thrilled to continue our support of forward-looking designers and creative practitioners. We are always greatly encouraged by the collaborative practices of all four designers working with materials and people and nature-centred design approaches. As the global climate crisis deepens, we are proud to have been an early advocate of innovation in material and social design, and to have supported a formidable body of thinking and work in this space.”

Read more about this year’s awards.

The Arts Foundation is a registered charity that supports individual artists and creatives in the UK with unconditional financial Fellowships of £20,000 through the Arts Foundation Futures Awards. Since it was founded in 1993, the Arts Foundation has awarded over £2 million to the most promising artists in the UK at a pivotal moment in their careers to enable them to concentrate on their creative development, experiment, and realise their artistic potential. 

The Arts Foundation announce the four Shortlisted Artists of the Arts Foundation Futures Awards 2025 for Dance.

The Dance Award supports choreographers who are expanding the medium of choreography and developing original works. Meet the Shortlist: 

Charlotte Edmonds

Charlotte Edmonds is a choreographer, dancer and filmmaker. Her work uses classical and contemporary dance to tell stories through movement.

Shannelle ‘Tali’ Fergus

Shannelle ‘Tali’ Fergus is a London-based creative working across choreography and performance. Her movement style is a blend of her training in street styles and contemporary.

Anthony Matsena

Anthony is a Zimbabwean-born and Welsh-raised choreographer, performer and director working between the mediums of dance, theatre, music and poetry.

Charlotte Mclean

Charlotte Mclean is a choreographer whose practice draws from tradition having competed in Scottish Highland Dance throughout her childhood. 

With thanks to our independent Jury members: Choreographer & Director, Holly Blakey; Artistic Director of Studio Wayne McGregor and Choreographer (and Arts Foundation Fellow and Ambassador), Sir Wayne McGregor CBE; and Artistic Director and co-CEO at Dance Umbrella, Freddie Opoku-Addaie who said: 

“It’s been a real pleasure to join the jury of the Arts Foundation Futures Award for Dance. It was clear from reading about the artists’ respective work that creatives across the country are simply trying to survive, not thrive, in the present climate. Awards like this are vital to support artists to reach a basic standard of living and should be more widespread. From Shannelle ‘Tali’ Fergus’ punchy short-form work in hip hop to Charlotte Edmonds’ refined contemporary portfolio, and Charlotte Mclean’s inventive and traditional forms to Antony Matsena’s boundary-blurring productions – I was really impressed with the quality and innovative contemporary choreographic practice present on the shortlist.”

The Arts Foundation has a long history of supporting dance and the performing arts, and Mary Jane Edwards, Director of The Arts Foundation says:

“The four choreographers’ work demonstrates the great range and breadth of contemporary dance practice. Each of the shortlisted artists has pursued highly individual and unique ways of thinking and approaching the medium, and we are thrilled to be supporting their artistic development.”

Read more about this year’s awards.

The Arts Foundation is a registered charity that supports individual artists and creatives in the UK with unconditional financial Fellowships of £20,000 through the Arts Foundation Futures Awards. Since it was founded in 1993, the Arts Foundation has awarded over £2 million to the most promising artists in the UK at a pivotal moment in their careers to enable them to concentrate on their creative development, experiment, and realise their artistic potential. 

The twenty artists shortlisted for the Arts Foundation Futures Awards 2025 have been announced across five award categories: Dance, Design, Film, Theatre and Visual Art.

The Arts Foundation is a registered charity that supports individual artists and creatives in the UK with unconditional financial fellowships through the Arts Foundation Futures Awards.

Since 1993 the Arts Foundation has awarded over £2 million to the most promising artists in the UK at a pivotal moment in their careers to enable them to concentrate on their creative development, experiment, and realise their artistic potential. 

The annual Arts Foundation Futures Awards provide five transformative £20,000 Fellowships, with all Shortlisted Artists receiving £1,000 towards the development of their practice.

The vital contribution of the Arts Foundation Futures Awards to the arts in the UK is demonstrated by its past Fellows, many of whom are regarded as contemporary pioneers and have gone on to become leaders in their respective art forms, including: Wayne McGregor (1994), Alice Oswald (1996), Sarah Kane (1998), Asif Kapadia (2001), Ali Smith (2001), Rufus Norris (2002), Carol Morley (2003), Lynette Yiadom-Boakye (2006), and more recently, Simon Fujiwara (2009), Sam Lee (2011), Alice Birch (2014), Hollie McNish (2015), Evan Ifekoya (2017), Holly Hendry (2019), Onyeka Igwe (2020), Klein (2020), and Bethany Williams (2020).

The Arts Foundation Futures Awards 2025 are supported in partnership with The David Collins Foundation, The Yoma Sasburg Estate, and with development support from The Maria Björnson Memorial Fund. 

The five winning Fellows receiving £20,000, will be revealed at an Award Ceremony on 17 February 2025 in London at Kings Place. Mary Jane Edwards, Director of the Arts Foundation said:

“The creative ingenuity and breadth of contemporary art practice showcased by the artists shortlisted for the 2025 Arts Foundation Futures Awards is both energetic and inspiring. We are so pleased to be able to increase our support for independent artists this year amidst the growing financial pressures faced across the cultural sector in the UK. No-strings-attached funding of this nature is vital to strengthen creative practice, but also affirm our belief in the transformative power of art.”

You can explore the Shortlisted Artists’ work on the Arts Foundation website and watch the Award Ceremony announcements via Instagram Live on the night.

Read the Press Release here.

The full Press Pack and Artist Images can be viewed online.

As 2024 comes to a close, we look back on another wonderful year supporting and championing independent artists and creatives!⁠

In January we announced the incredible Shortlisted Artists for the Arts Foundation Futures Awards 2024, across the fields of Regenerative Design, Jazz Composition, Short Documentary Film, Theatre Writing and Visual Art.

In February, the winning Fellows receiving £10,000 were announced at a live Award Ceremony at the Southbank Centre in London, with all shortlisted artists awarded £1,000. ⁠

We were thrilled to host jury members Vicky Featherstone, Soweto Kinch, Clare Sillery, Adelaide Bannerman, and Roy Williams as our guest of honour. Roy’s rousing welcome address and the ceremony are archived on our website and YouTube channel. ⁠

In May the first artists arrived for their week-long residency in the stunning setting of Hawkwood Centre for Future Thinking

In June we continued to grow a new community of Friends and Patrons to support our work, hosting our annual Patrons dinner, an inspiring gathering of like-minded individuals and conversation about the importance of art and creative practice.⁠

⁠The summer also saw us celebrate fellows’ work with gatherings at the Jazz Cafe to see Daniel Casimir play to a sellout crowd, and De La Warr to hear Rebecca Bellantoni in conversation as part of her first institutional solo show. 

⁠In September, we announced that we are increasing the Fellowship award amount to £20,000 to ensure our work continues to have the same life-changing impact and responds to inflation, the ongoing cost of living crisis and low artist income precarity experienced across the contemporary arts in the UK.

We also shared the award categories for the Arts Foundation Futures Awards 2025: Dance, Design, Film, Theatre and Visual Art, and partnership collaborations with the brilliant The David Collins Foundation, and the Maria Björnson Memorial Fund. 

⁠In October we announced the phenomenal jury members for the awards,  take a look back at our news feed, or on Instagram.

⁠The beginnings of 2025 are looking bright, with the Arts Foundation Futures Awards 2025 Shortlist Artist Announcement in the New Year, a film screening with London Short Film Festival at ICA London on 22 January, and our Awards Ceremony in February! ⁠

Enormous thanks to everyone who has supported The Arts Foundation this year, we are hugely grateful for your time, generosity and care.

Wishing you all a restorative festive period!⁠