The Isle of Wight Young Artist Award 2024 exhibition is now open at Quay Arts.
Young people aged 14-25 have submitted their artwork to be showcased in a professional setting, which is on display at Quay Arts until Sunday 3rd November. The exhibition is open everyday, from 9:00 to 17:00 in the Clayden Gallery.
This is the third Young Artist Award, set up by Brave Island in 2022 to give young creatives the opportunity to showcase their work outside of school, college, or university, and for many it was the first time they’d had the chance to see their work in a gallery. This exhibition provides a way for young people to get their artwork in the public eye in a supportive environment.
The winner of the Isle of Wight Young Artist Award 2024 is Elsie Calder (age 19), for her brilliant mixed media piece which explores gender ideologies. There was a lot of amazing work submitted this year, of varying styles and mediums, but after careful consideration from the Brave Island Quay Arts team, Elsie’s piece was chosen as the overall winner. She received the award which was an acrylic piece created by KReative Studios.
On why she chose to enter her work for the award, Elsie said:
“I entered the Young Artist Award as an opportunity to showcase my work, something I am deeply passionate about, to my local community on a scale I never have before.
“As a young person on the island, pursuing art can often feel challenging in comparison to city networks, making an opportunity like this especially hard to pass on.”