Press Releases

Jerwood Arts today announces three new partners to extend the reach of the ninth edition: Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales as lead partner, Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery and York Art Gallery.

Each of the partners will curate the new works in dialogue with their own collections and contexts to reflect different aspects of the creation process and concepts: Amgueddfa Cymru is home to an inspirational wide-ranging collection of art, craft and design. As Wales’s national museum Amgueddfa Cymru provides a platform to showcase the work of contemporary artists and makers. Being exhibited in this space represents a prestigious opportunity for the five selected artists and makers.

The former home of Sir John Soane, Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery sits at the intersection of art, architecture and design making it the perfect context in which to explore the new commissions.

At York Art Gallery, the Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA) displays an extensive collection of British Studio Ceramics, including collections from WA Ismay, Henry Rothschild, and Anthony Shaw, framing the innovative and new works from the five awardees.

Established in 2010 the award invites artists and makers from a broad range of material and craft disciplines, including glass, textiles, ceramics, and silversmithing among others to submit ambitious proposals that experiment with their practice and process and realise a new body of work.

This ninth edition is the second collaboration with Art Fund. It will open at National Museum Cardiff in January 2025, before touring to Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery in June 2025, and York Art Gallery in October 2025.

The selection panel, made up of expert curators and artists from across the UK, will include Dr Helen Walsh, curator of ceramics at York Art Gallery, Angharad Pearce Jones, blacksmith, sculptor and installation artist based in West Wales, Phoebe Collings-James, multidisciplinary artist working in sculpture, ceramics, sound and video, and Celia Joicey, Director of Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh. The panel will be chaired by Director of Jerwood Arts, Lilli Geissendorfer.

The five selected artists will be awarded £8,000 to create commissions that provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting new work being produced by UK-based artists and makers. They will have eight months to research and develop their proposals, allowing for experimentation to shine alongside extraordinary craftmanship.

The national call for entries will be launched in October 2023 by Jerwood Arts and run until December 2023, with the selected artists announced in April 2024. The exhibitions are set to open across the span of 2025 starting with National Museum Cardiff in January of that year.

The eighth edition recently finished its national tour at Aberdeen Art Gallery, Scotland, with new work by awarded artists Anna Berry, Cecilia Charlton, Jahday Ford, Vicky Higginson and Francisca Onumah & Helena Russell - selected from over 500 applications.

Funding from Jerwood Arts and Art Fund includes a dedicated Exhibition Project Manager, hosted by Amgueddfa Cymru, to support the project and realise the commissions for exhibition. Recruitment will be open soon.

Lilli Geissendorfer, Director, Jerwood Arts, said: “Expanding our national reach to connect early-career artists from across the UK with high profile opportunities is at the heart of what we do. I'm delighted we're able to announce this ninth edition with support of Art Fund of Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open, creating valuable space for experimentation at the intersection of applied and visual arts in some of the most exciting museums and galleries across the UK.” 

Jenny Waldman, Director, Art Fund, said: “The Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open offers a unique developmental opportunity for early-career artists and curators to be bold and experimental in their practice. I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to support this ninth edition through our Reimagine grants programme, which will see three brilliant new partners – Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery and York Art Gallery – unlock new ways of engaging with their audiences and collections.”

Nia Williams, Director, Learning and Public Programmes, Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, said: “Amgueddfa Cymru is delighted to be working in partnership with Jerwood Arts to bring the Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open to Wales. As lead partner we welcome the opportunity to host an exhibition project manager, developing much needed skills and capacity within the sector. We look forward to working with partners on this prestigious award to showcase new work by outstanding early-career artists and makers based in the UK.”

Clare Gough, Director, Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, said: “Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery is thrilled to partner with the Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open. Pitzhanger's mission is to inspire future generations in art, architecture, and design. We are delighted to work collaboratively on a project that successfully supports and showcases the work of emerging artists and makers and engages broad new audiences in the arts.”

Beatrice Bertram, Senior Curator, York Art Gallery, said: “We are thrilled that York Art Gallery, home of the Centre of Ceramic Art, will be a venue partner for the Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open in 2025. We are passionate about supporting emerging artists and makers and bringing their work to wider audiences in our region.”

Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open is funded by Jerwood Arts and Art Fund through Reimagine grants, delivered by Jerwood Arts in partnership with Amgueddfa Cymru and touring to York Art Gallery and Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, London. 

https://jerwoodarts.org/programme/jerwood-art-fund-makers-open/

ENDS/

Media contact:

Susie Gray, The Corner Shop PR, susie@thecornershoppr.com 07834 073795
Link to photos and biographies of panellists here

Notes 

Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open is a major commissioning opportunity supporting five early-career artists and makers to experiment, learn and take risks with eight months curatorial and production support to make new work for a national touring exhibition.

Jerwood Makers Open was established in 2010 to recognise and promote the significance of making practice and process within contemporary visual arts. It supports exceptional UK-based artists and makers to develop their creative ideas independently, enabling them to experiment, learn and take risks with substantial curatorial support. This ninth edition is the second collaboration with Art Fund in a new partnership with Amgueddfa Cymru, who will host a dedicated Exhibition Project Manager to support the project and realise the commissions for exhibition. It will open at National Museum Cardiff in January 2025, before touring to Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery in June 2025, and York Art Gallery in October 2025.

https://jerwoodarts.org/programme/jerwood-art-fund-makers-open/

Jerwood Arts

Jerwood Arts is the leading independent funder dedicated to supporting early-career artists, makers, curators, and producers to develop and thrive across the UK. We are committed to supporting artistic freedom of expression and being as inclusive as possible across all our work. We collaborate with organisations across artforms, disciplines and genres to create transformative opportunities and a more sustainable sector, supporting imaginative awards, fellowships, residencies, projects, programmes, bursaries, and commissions. Jerwoodarts.org

Art Fund

Art Fund is the national fundraising charity for art. It provides millions of pounds every year to help museums to acquire and share works of art across the UK, further the professional development of their curators, and inspire more people to visit and enjoy their public programmes. Art Fund is independently funded, supported by Art Partners, donors, trusts and foundations and the 135,000 members who buy the National Art Pass, who enjoy free or discounted entry to over 850 museums, galleries and historic places, 50% off major exhibitions, and receive Art Quarterly magazine. Art Fund also supports museums through its annual prize, Art Fund Museum of the Year. The winner of Art Fund Museum of the Year 2022 is Horniman Museums & Gardens. www.artfund.org.

About Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery 

Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery in Ealing, West London, is a Grade I listed building and the historic country home of Sir John Soane, one of Britain’s most extraordinary architects. Pitzhanger is dedicated to promoting Sir John Soane’s legacy, inspiring visitors with art, architecture, and design, and nurturing creativity for all through an extensive outreach and events program. The venue celebrates Sir John Soane’s genius and influence as a designer by showcasing his architecture alongside a program of ambitious contemporary art exhibitions. Since reopening in 2019, following the NLHF & ACE-supported restoration project, Pitzhanger has mounted an aspiring exhibition programme including Anish Kapoor, Rana Begum, Julian Opie, and Anthony Caro.

About York Art Gallery

York Art Gallery’s collection spans more than 600 years from 14^th century Italian panels and 17^th century Dutch masterpieces to 20^th and 21^st century works by LS Lowry, David Hockney, and emerging artists such as Sahara Longe. Through the Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA) the Gallery displays an extensive collection of British Studio Ceramics, including collections from WA Ismay, Henry Rothschild, and Anthony Shaw. The Gallery has a lively temporary changing exhibition programme, often working with partners across the UK. The Gallery and its collections are cared for by the charity York Museums Trust. To find out more visit www.yorkartgallery.org.uk. 

About Amgueddfa Cymru

Amgueddfa Cymru belongs to everyone and is here for everyone to use. We are a charity and a family of seven national museums and a collections centre, located across the country. Our aim is to inspire everyone through Wales’ story, at our museums, in communities and digitally.

Our welcome is free thanks to funding from the Welsh Government and extends to people from all communities. 

Play your part in Wales’ story: by visiting, volunteering, by joining, by donating.

www.museum.wales