Henley Festival presented by Westcoast has revealed the inaugural winners of its brand new ‘RISE by Henley Festival Emerging Artist Prize’, rewarding trailblazing emerging talent in the visual arts space. The award forms part of Henley Festival’s charitable programme, RISE, which provides opportunities for the next generation of talent to learn, perform and flourish in the creative industries.
The winner of the first ‘RISE by Henley Festival Emerging Artist Prize’ is Raoul Orzabal, who will receive £1000 for his complex and intricately detailed landscapes and cityscapes influenced by early twentieth-century modernist paintings and abstraction.
The two runners-up and recipients of £500 each are Curtis Chan, a painter of dream-like compositions imbued with nostalgia and present-day desires, and Susan Kellaway, for her vibrant and subversive paintings of the female figure. All three artists now have the exciting opportunity to exhibit their prize-winning artwork at the Audi High RISE Gallery at Henley Festival 2025, which will take place from 09 -13 July.
The new RISE by Henley Festival Emerging Artist Prize aims to recognise and raise awareness of outstanding visual artists aged 18 and over who are in the early stages of their professional careers or who have not yet established a reputation among art curators, buyers, and critics.
Emma Ellis, Head of RISE programme development at Henley Festival, said, “We are delighted to announce the very first winner and runners-up of the RISE by Henley Festival Emerging Artist Prize. The judges were extremely impressed by the standard of the artists’ work, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to support them in their emerging careers.
The prize is an extremely welcome addition to our RISE programme and we look forward to continue discovering and championing outstanding talent in the creative fields, whether promoting visual arts through the RISE by Henley Festival Emerging Artist Prize, or celebrating musicians with the Westcoast RISING Star Award.”
The UK’s only black-tie music and arts festival is truly an experience like no other: world-class music set alongside stellar comedy and cabaret, stunning art galleries and sculpture installations, roving performers, as well as dining, drinks, dancing and simply jaw-dropping fireworks.
The Festival is renowned for pioneering spectacular festival art, annually featuring a stunning array of paintings, prints, sculptures, drawings, and so much more, transforming the scenic Thames riverside into an immersive outdoor gallery.
But, it’s more than just an unmissable event: the Festival’s RISE programme gives a unique platform for aspiring professionals in music (who perform on the dedicated RISE stage), visual art (with artists exhibiting in the Audi High RISE gallery) and production (with backstage students working across the site with the best lighting and sound companies in the industry.)
Henley Festival was set up in 1982 as a charity with mission to stage an unforgettable music and arts Festival for the local community and this mission remains the same over forty years later. In 2022, Henley Festival launched charitable initiative RISE to inspire and support emerging talent in the creative arts, providing opportunities to perform, flourish and learn.
RISE by Henley Festival champions aspiring professionals in music (who perform on the dedicated RISE stage), visual art (with artists exhibiting in the High RISE gallery) and production (with backstage students working across the site with the best lighting and sound companies in the industry.) RISE gives participants in the programme visibility, financial support and mentoring, and helps them to form connections with industry professionals.
