Sun 17 Jan |
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| UPDATE: Winner is announced! Read the guardian article here and look out for more coming soon on mill's website. The Northern Art Prize The Northern Art prize is open to all professional artists from all mediums of art, as long as they are working and living in the North. To be honest, to say that it’s open to any professional artist is a bit of a fib really, because applicants have to be nominated. And not just nominated by any old one: it tends to be gallery owners, directors, those working in the Arts and similar. It works likes this; the panel of judges for the prize winner selects who and where the nominations are coming from i.e. said directors, gallery owners and such. The chosen nominators each get to nominate two artists each. A total of 24 applicants are put forward, then the panel of judges, which is drawn from the national visual arts sector, decides on a lucky four - who go on to compete for the winning prize. A great opportunity to further boost the career of already semi successful artists, or at the very least, artists who have sold, exhibited or had the means to hire studio spaces to date, the Northern Art Prize works with a network of supporters to exhibit the fours’ work for a number of months at Leeds Art Gallery before a winner is chosen by – the panel.  'these are the days’ 2008-9 by finalist Matt Stokes Two channel Super 16mm film and audio transferred to hard-drives, 6.26 mins Courtesy of the Artist, Workplace Gallery, Gateshead and Ziehersmith, New York Photographer: Sarah Greene Reed This year the work of the final four has been on display since the 27th November 2009 and will remain until the 21st February 2010. On the 21st of January the panel will choose the winning artist and prize money of 16,500 pounds will be awarded to the winner with the 3 runners up each receiving £1,500. A small amount in comparison with the expense it will have taken in materials, studio hire and the ol’ blood sweat and tears to get them this far. And in comparison with what our European friends in places such as Paris and Milan tend to regularly award so many creative talents with. But hey surely this is another baby step, (carefully taken by tiptoeing through budgets and red tape) in showing Leeds as the great all-inclusive capital of culture it is.  ‘Darkness Coming (detail)’ 2008 by finalist Rachel Goodyear Pencil and watercolour on paper 42 x 60cm Courtesy Robert Devereux collection The project certainly aims to generate interest not just from its sponsors and your typical arty types, as there is a voting system for anyone to put forward their comments online. Yet we can’t promise you these votes and opinions will be taken into account when the panel makes the final decision. ‘You can vote for your favourite artist online – although the judges decision is final.’ Northern Art Prize 2009 brochure. Nonetheless if they’re not taking this into account we’re sure the artists are and will appreciate you as the audience’s feedback.  ‘Eclipse’ 2009 by finalist Pavel Büchler Nine Leitz Prado projectors, stands, found balls, dimensions variable Courtesy Max Wigram Gallery, London Not all ‘professional’ artists may be involved in with people of such means to nominate them, so it’s possible this prestigious award scheme for Northern art may be missing out on some lesser-known independent talents working hurriedly in their own spaces. No doubt talents who, although may no more or less deserve such a prize, will be in more need of it to progress in their passions. Nominee Pavel Buchler ‘did concede that the money would be extremely handy, (failure of his boiler being on his mind)’, Northern Art Prize blog. Ok so we all need to keep warm. The project has benefited from the support of notable sponsors including Leeds City Council and ARUP. Now in it’s third year perhaps the success of Northern Art Prize does act as a door opener to similar projects and events ones which can include even more of a diversity of applicants such as the forthcoming Leeds Art Fair.  ‘The Four Horsemen – War’ 2009 by finalists Nick Crowe and Ian Rawlinson Four channel installation, hi definition video 2.09 mins, 2.12 mins, 2.15 mins, 2.40 mins loops All images courtesy of the Artists and Ceri Hand Gallery The four finalists are now on display at Leeds Art Gallery and you can read more about them at www.northernartprize.org.uk. In addition you can vote and post your views on the blog. We wouldn’t want to cloud your judgment so we’ll be reporting back after the winner is announced, giving our opinions our recent visit to the opening event last November and thoughts from being all studious at said event on the pieces themselves.
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