Call for Early Career Makers: Rising Stars 2023

14 December 2022

Rising Stars is open for applications. Rising Stars aims 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 marketplace, through a curated, selling exhibition.

The programme will consist of the Rising Stars exhibition at New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, which enables:

• new makers to access the marketplace and collectors;
• professional development including knowledge transfer on topics such as pricing guidance, advice on marketing your work and how to gain and manage new connections;
• and a catalogue to act as a promotional tool for the selected makers.

Every year, 20-25 makers are selected for the exhibition.

The 2023 focus will be on supporting new makers in challenging marketplace, impacted by the cost-of-living crisis. A professional development bursary of £1,000 and a solo exhibition at New Ashgate in 2024 will be presented for one of the makers in the exhibition. The winner will be selected by a panel of judges that consists of the project partners; New Ashgate Gallery, University for the Creative Arts, and Dan Goode of Making Goode.

Key events:

• Exhibition at New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, 11 March – 22 April 2023
• A private view and award ceremony at New Ashgate Gallery, 10 March 2023, 6-8pm
• A programme of professional development events with Making Goode, The Design Trust and Crafts Council UK on 13, 20 and 27th March 2023.

There will also be a further opportunity to showcase with Dan Goode of Making Goode at Handmade festivals in 2023.

Submissions are invited from:

• Early career artists and makers (early career is: less than three years in business and those still studying: a business is deemed when you have first registered with HMRC / or sold work)
• This is a selling showcase; this opportunity is for makers looking to work with galleries in the future

How to apply:

Find the application form here.

You can find out more about the opportunity here.

Maker sure to include:

• 3-4 images of the proposed work(s) (JPEG, 1-2MB in size, including full image captions and a title of the artwork in a file name).
• CV Word or PDF format, 2 A4 pages maximum
• Statement about your work of no more than 250 words
• Indicate how you wish for your work to be displayed for example: framed, on a plinth, in a display case.

There is no fee to apply.

Please note that the New Ashgate Gallery Trust takes a commission of 50% for any sold artwork. 2d work (works on paper) is required to be framed in plain frames.

Successful applicants will be covering their own travel and delivery costs and collection costs for unsold artworks.

The deadline is 5pm, Sunday 15th January 2023.

For informal enquiries email us at: gallery@newashgate.org.uk / 01252 713208.