Rising Stars is a curated, national platform to foster and champion new talent, early career makers, students and graduates from BA and MA crafts, design and applied arts programmes across the UK. Rising Stars offers new makers a first step into the market place, through a curated, selling exhibition. It is also an exciting collector opportunity for those wishing to support and collect work by future stars.

The programme consists of the Rising Stars exhibition that enables new makers to access the market place and collectors; professional development, and a catalogue to act as a promotional tool for the selected makers. The 2023 project will also be supporting new makers, impacted by the current cost of living crisis.

Following a popular open call with 113 applications, the makers selected for the Rising Stars 2023 are:

Jiro Ametani, Shannon Ellis Baker, Jarrad Belton, Faye Bentley, Viki Benwell, Luciana Bohm, Harry Chadwick, Guy Conners, Lisa Ghiggini, Amy Findlay, Lulu Harrison, Ismail Kamran, Nancy Main, Celia MacPherson, Natalie McCormack, Shakhina Mirjonova, Helen Munday, Chris Murphy, Parneet Pahwa, Rachel Peters, Helena Roberts, Samantha Sloane, Gow Tanaka and Omer Oner.

Harry Chadwick is the winner of this year’s competition and wins a professional development award of £1,000 and a solo exhibition at New Ashgate in 2024.

We recognise there is a lack of representation from Black, Asian, and ethnically diverse backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ makers and makers who identify as having a visible or non-visible disability in the southeast region. We particularly welcomed applications from makers underrepresented in the region.

The judges in 2023 are Dan Goode (Making Goode), Dr Outi Remes (New Ashgate Gallery), Sharon Ting (University for the Creative Arts, Textiles) and Debra Allman (University for the Creative Arts, Jewellery and Ceramics).

Rising Stars 2023 is organised by New Ashgate Gallery in partnership with the University for the Creative Arts and Dan Goode of Making Goode. It is supported by Billmeir Charitable Trust.

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