Henley Festival, presented by Westcoast, has announced the launch of a brand-new prize rewarding trailblazing emerging talent in the visual arts space: the RISE by Henley Festival Emerging Artist Prize.
As Henley Festival expands its RISE programme, this award reinforces its charitable mission to support the next generation of talent in the arts.
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.
But, it’s more than just an unmissable event: the Festival’s RISE programme provides 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.)
The new ‘RISE by Henley Festival Emerging Artist Prize’ is set to give recognition and awareness to outstanding emerging visual artists who are in the early stages of their careers or are still establishing a reputation as an artist amongst art curators, buyers and critics.
Three finalists will be selected, with a first prize of £1000 and two runners-up prizes of £500 each. The three finalists will also have the exciting opportunity to exhibit their work at the Audi High RISE Gallery at Henley Festival 2025, which will take place from 09 to 13 July.
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.
Submissions for the prize open on 14 February and close on 14 April. The shortlist of artists will be announced on 30 April and finalists on 07 May. A panel of judges, chosen by RISE by Henley Festival, will be announced shortly.
“The RISE programme is at the core of everything we do at Henley Festival, and we are thrilled to be expanding our support of new talent with the introduction of our inaugural visual arts prize.
RISE by Henley Festival Emerging Artist Prize will sit alongside our music prize (the Westcoast RISING Star Award) in championing and celebrating outstanding achievement and great potential,” said Emma Ellis, Head of RISE programme development at Henley Festival.
