Art lovers in the North East can begin planning their exhibition visits for 2025, with the announcement of the winners for the third North East Emerging Artist Award at Seaton Delaval Hall.

Visitors can look forward to seeing work from Newcastle University graduates Phoebe Scott and Lucy Waters, as well as artist Jordan Edge in 2025 after they presented their proposals in Seaton Delaval Hall’s grand stables this summer.

The exhibition of the artists’ work will run concurrently with proposals from next year’s shortlisted artists, along with the opportunity for visitors to once again play their part in selecting the three winners. 

The winning artists

Phoebe is an interdisciplinary artist with a background in dance and set design and who graduated from Newcastle University’s Fine Art degree this summer. Her work focuses on theatrical femininity, by crafting narratives that blend magical and scientific methodologies to explore desire within our technologically evolving world. She works primarily in sculpture using stained glass and found objects. Phoebe will collect nettles at the hall to create her interactive work, Glamour of the Big Wigs.

She said: “I am over the moon to be a part of the NE Emerging Artists Award, this gives me an opportunity to make an ambitious work, an art piece I would not have been able to do otherwise and I cannot wait to start.”

Lucy Waters graduated from Newcastle University in 2023 with a distinction in her Master of Fine Art.  Since then, she has exhibited at the Bridge Gallery at Tynemouth metro station and had three works feature in the Baltic Open Submissions 2024. Lucy imagines herself to have been commissioned by Rhoda Delaval, an accomplished artist, and eldest daughter of the ‘Gay Delavals’, to create an ever-growing dining ware set, Delaval Ware.

She said: “The project for me is such a unique opportunity for broadening my horizons as an artist. In both how I approach and consider the making of my work but also getting the chance to delve so thoroughly into the history of Seaton Delaval Hall and to be able to respond to the site in this way is something that I am really looking forward too."

Artist Jordan (Kiik Amor), is a non-binary/trans artist originally from the North East, working in the field of experimental design and sonic arts and will present their work The Lyre of Elysium in 2025. They manipulate metals, latex, and silicone to create sculptures and sound installations that function as abstract forms of communication.

Award Curator, Matthew Jarratt said: “This is the third cohort of emerging artists to be selected for this special opportunity which aims to nurture new North East artists.  The creative imagination of these artists is inspiring and I look forward to working with them over the year ahead as they evolve their ideas into new installations at Seaton Delaval Hall.”

The North East Emerging Artist Award is a partnership between the National Trust and independent curator and Visiting Professor at Newcastle University, Matthew Jarratt.

Seaton Delaval Hall is the idea location for the Award. Throughout its history, the Hall and its inhabitants have been synonymous with artistic support, from commissioning watercolourist Arthur Pond to produce views of the hall, the backing of erotic novelist, John Clelland, and the patronage of William Bell who produced family portraits and tutored Rhoda Delaval through to the 21^st Lord Hastings’ support of The Royal Ballet.

Learn more about Fine Art at Newcastle University.

(Story adapted with thanks from the National Trust.)

Image credits: Bec Hues, House of Hues.