Academics and Alumni Longlisted for Northern Art Prize

The Northern Art Prize celebrates contemporary visual artists based in the North of England. Founded in 2007, it has established itself as an important award – recognised nationally as a relevant profiler of artists working in the North East, North West and Yorkshire regions.

The collaboration between Tom O'Sullivan and Joanne Tatham, both senior lecturers in fine art at Northumbria University has been longlisted as well as work by Ben Jeans Houghton, an alumni of the BA (Hons) Fine Art programme and former member of our Graduate Studio Northumbria scheme.

Each year twelve arts professionals from across the North of England, representing both urban and rural areas, organisations and freelancers nominate two artists to be put forward for the prize. Nominated artists can be of any age, any nationality and working in any media as long as they are based in the North. The nominated artists are invited to submit examples of their work and four selectors drawn from national arts organisations or established artists use this information to select a shortlist of four. The nominators and selectors change each year.

Should they reach the shortlist phase of the awards they will work with Sarah Brown, Curator at Leeds Art Gallery, to put together an exhibition of recent and new works. The selectors return to view the exhibition and choose a winner. The prize provides a significant financial reward to the winning artist who receives £16,500 with the other shortlisted artists receiving £1,500.