With more than 200 makers showcasing their work at the Rising Stars exhibition over 8 years, the New Ashgate Gallery continues to be a great platform to view and collect exciting new works by talented makers from crafts and applied arts programmes across the UK.
The makers in this year's shortlist are Ruth Brown, Emily Jane Bruce, Ellie Burton, Anne-Laure Cano, Ella Fearon-Low, Tony Howard, Polly Middleton-Heatley, Valerie Muddyman, Teresa Munn, Alex O'Connor, Anna Peake, Rebecca Rowland-chandler, Joshua Schoeman, Claire Lucia Skelton, Mariam Syed, Mona Tabbicca, Emma Trussler, Louisa Warren, Kas Williams, Xuan Fang.
We are confident that the Rising Stars £500 Professional Development Award, to be announced at the private view on the 2nd March and a solo exhibition at the New Ashgate Gallery will have a significant impact on the winner’s career. Former participants have progressed to other elite programmes such as Hothouse supported by the Crafts Council. A free professional development programme and symposium at the UCA is offered to support all emerging artists and makers nationally.
Craft students and courses are declining rapidly alongside arts funding and the knock-on effect is that talented students and graduates are being side-lined in favour of established and less risky artists and makers. The New Ashgate Gallery promotes the importance of a showcase that pushes the boundaries through ambitious work at Rising Stars.
Rising Stars is produced by the New Ashgate Gallery in partnership with the University for the Creative Arts. It is supported by the Billmeir Trust.
