Yorkshire’s Emerging Artists showcase in Skipton

Skipton Town Hall summer showcase exhibition, Yorkshire’s Emerging Artists, has just opened

38 emerging and early-career artists from across Yorkshire, presenting a diverse array of disciplines and media including painting, sculpture, photography, film, and textiles.

The exhibition celebrates the rich and varied talents of artists who are living, studying, or originating from Yorkshire. Visitors will have the unique opportunity to explore and purchase artworks selected from an Open Call issued earlier this year, which attracted over 150 submissions. The artworks delve into themes such as the environment, identity, social issues, and activism, offering thought-provoking perspectives on contemporary topics.

Danielle Daglan, Head of Culture & Archives at North Yorkshire Council, said: "This summer exhibition is a fantastic opportunity for our visitors to explore and support the thriving emerging artistic community in Yorkshire. The variety and quality of the artwork submitted was amazing – we are looking forward to working with the artists to share this special exhibition with our visitors. We really wanted to celebrate being part of Yorkshire’s vast cultural community - the exhibition is a true testament to the creativity that can be found across our region." 

A panel of Yorkshire-based judges, including freelance illustrator Ekaterina Sheath and Kirklees Museums and Galleries Visual Arts Curator Janine Sykes, selected the artworks. The participating artists range from final-year students and recent graduates from prestigious institutions like Leeds Arts University and The Ruskin School of Art, as well as those who have embarked on artistic after moving away from alternative careers.

One of the featured artists, Jasmine Foo, an emerging artist based in York and a recent graduate from UAL with a degree in Illustration and Visual Media, said: 'Being selected for the emerging artists exhibition in Skipton Town Hall is such an exciting experience for me as an artist who is just starting out in the creative world. I graduated from university last year and so I am always looking for opportunities to get my work out there to share what I have to say through my work. My crochet animation tapestry 'Stuck in a Loop' centres around themes of mental health which I am eager to spark conversations about'.

The Exhibition Gallery at Skipton Town Hall offers free entry to visitors and presents a dynamic program of exhibitions highlighting local and national artists, craftspeople, community projects, and selections from the Craven Museum collection. Recent exhibitions have highlighted North Yorkshire Open Studios members, contemporary craftspeople, and local A-Level and GCSE art students.

Skipton Town Hall is proud that Craven Museum has been announced as one of five finalists for the Art Fund Museum of the Year 2024, the world’s largest museum prize. This follows recognition as the Kids in Museums ‘Family Friendly Museum 2023’ and ‘Best Accessible Museum 2023’.

Yorkshire’s Emerging Artists at Skipton Town Hall Exhibition Gallery will run from Saturday 15 June – Monday 2 September 2024. Admission to the exhibition is free.  

Find more information and gallery opening times by visiting skiptontownhall.co.uk