Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open 2021
2020 marks ten years since Jerwood Makers Open was established and the start of an exciting new chapter with the introduction of a funding partnership with Art Fund, a touring partnership with Aberdeen Art Gallery and a new name for the eight edition of the programme: Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open.
The Awards were established in 2010 to promote the significance of making and materials within the visual arts arena, seeking to support exceptional skills and imagination. Across seven editions of the programme, architects, ceramicists, glass-makers, installation and paper artists, jewellery, light and textile designers and sculptors have challenged the boundaries of what has traditionally been described as applied arts.
Over the past decade, 34 early-career contemporary makers have received awards totalling £265,000 to support the development of creative ideas central to their individual practices and have been given the opportunity to showcase their work in galleries across the breadth and depth of the UK. From Pier Arts Centre in Orkney to The Gallery, Plymouth College of Art and from Ruthin Crafts Centre in Wales to the Naughton Gallery, Queen's University, Belfast.
The range of selectors has been as wide-ranging and eclectic as the makers themselves and have brought to the programme their important insights from the worlds of art, craft, choreography, fashion design, journalism and museum.
Reflecting on the impact on her career, Hitomi Hosono revealed: "Receiving the Jerwood Makers Open Award in 2014 gave me a great opportunity to challenge my practice in the early stage of my career as a ceramic artist and the generous financial support gave me the freedom to experiment with a variety of vibrant colours in my new tropical inspired botanical forms. Through this commission, I learned the importance of exploring the possibilities of new work, searching for new inspirations and techniques and to have confidence in my own practice." Hitomi's work is held in public collections internationally, including Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museum, British Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Victoria & Albert Museum.
Speaking about the launch of the 8th edition, Lilli Geissendorfer, Director, Jerwood Arts said:
The new partnerships with Art Fund and Aberdeen Art Gallery will strengthen the support available to artists and makers and fills us with huge optimism for the creativity, innovation and excellence that this edition of Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open will identify and champion.
Discover more about the artists selected for previous editions of the awards and apply to Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open 2021 by Wednesday 26 August 2020. Visit Jerwood Makers Open, 2019 at Manchester City Art Gallery (20 August-4 October 2020), 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe (14 October 2020-2 January 2021) and Torre Abbey, Devon (11 January-27 March 2021).
