Voting opened and finalists announced in Sovereign Art Foundation Students Prize

The Sovereign Art Foundation (SAF) has announced the 20 students shortlisted as finalists for the Sovereign Art Foundation Students Prize Gibraltar and opened public voting on their website.

The Judges had the tough task of shortlisting 20 artworks from the 126 entries submitted.

The artworks range in subject matter from portraits and landscapes to a depiction of a mushroom in a clown’s suit and show the wonderful creativity, imagination and talent of Gibraltar’s secondary school students.

Those in the shortlist range in age from 12 to 18. Gibraltar’s schools and institutions were well represented, with entries submitted from Westside School, Bayside Comprehensive School, the Gibraltar Girls High School, Prior Park School, Gibraltar and Gibraltar College.

The 20 shortlisted artworks will be displayed in the Finalists’ Exhibition, which will be at the Fine Arts Gallery, Casemates, on December 6 to 11 and John Mackintosh Hall on December 13 to 17. The exhibition will then tour Gibraltar and venues include St Bernard’s Hospital and Hassans’ offices.

There will be four prizes awarded to four different students.

The winner of the Judge’s Prize will be awarded a trophy and £800 and their school art department will receive £2,000.

The public is invited to vote for their favourite artwork, either in the exhibition or online.

The most popular artwork will be awarded the Public Vote Prize, the winner of which will receive a trophy and £400; £1,000 for their school. Furthermore, the Hassans Prize will award £300 to both the student and their school.

The Arts Society Gibraltar will award a £250 prize in the 11 to 14-year-old category. The winners will be announced at an Awards Ceremony in December.

The judges and public Gibraltar winners will be automatically entered into the annual SAF Global Students Prize, showcasing their talent on an international stage and facilitating cultural exchange and dialogue.

The judging panel comprises Gibraltarian contemporary artist Christian Hook, Gallerist and Curator Magda Bellotti, Arts and Heritage professor Gabriela Giménez, and Howard Bilton, Founder and Chairman of SAF.

“I was impressed with the entries submitted,” Mr Hook said.

“The general level was pretty high, and there are some fantastic pieces in the Finalists’ Exhibition.”

SAF said this prize would not have been possible without the generous support of sponsors and SAF are grateful to have backing from Hassans International Law Firm Limited as a gold sponsor; Simmons Gainsford and Image Graphics as silver sponsors and bronze supporters: Brooks MacDonald, Schroders, Silver Key, LGT Vestra and the Ministry for Culture, Gibraltar.

Some of the Artworks of the final 20 shortlisted will be sold via silent auction at the agreement of each student.

Sale proceeds and fundraising income will be split equally between the student and the local not-for-profit programmes SAF is funding locally.

Please see the SAF website to bid for the artwork. Prints will also be available of the final 20 artworks, sold as part of a limited edition.

To find out more about the Prize and how to vote or bid for artworks, please visit: www.sovereignartfoundation.com/art-prizes/student-art-prize/gibraltar