Henley Festival launches Emerging Artist Prize

Karen Neville

New award will honour up and coming visual artists with work to be exhibited at the Audi High RISE Gallery

Henley Festival is launching a new prize rewarding trailblazing emerging talent in the visual arts space called ‘RISE by Henley Festival Emerging Artist Prize’.

The award forms part of Henley Festival’s charitable mission to support the next generation of talent through its RISE programme.

The UK’s only black-tie music and arts festival is 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. Among the big names this year are Diana Ross, Rick Astley, McFly and Jamie Cullum.

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.)

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 career 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 £1,000 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, from 9th-13th 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 14th February and close on 14th April. The shortlist of artists will be announced on 30th April and finalists on 7th May. A panel of judges, chosen by RISE by Henley Festival, will be announced shortly.

For more information about the RISE by Henley Festival Emerging Artist Prize and how to enter, visit the Festival website at www.henley-festival.co.uk

“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.