The Young Artist Award exhibition launch at Quay Arts gives emerging Isle of Wight artists a professional gallery audience. Brave Island and Quay Arts have brought together shortlisted work by people aged 14 to 25 for the Clayden Gallery. Entry is free, so you can make a short visit during a Newport trip or leave more time to look around without committing to a ticketed afternoon.
There is no single subject tying the entries together. The award welcomes different media, including photography, painting, graphic design, three-dimensional work and moving image, leaving the artists room to follow their own interests. That breadth is part of the reason to go: this is a chance to see what younger Island makers choose to say when they have creative freedom. The shortlisted artists are also invited to the launch, when the winner will be announced.
The exhibition runs from 17 October to 14 November, with advertised gallery hours of 9am to 4pm. It brings several approaches to art and making into one visit, with no need to choose a single medium in advance. The launch is on Saturday 17 October from 2pm to 4pm. Check the venue’s current opening arrangements if making a special journey later in the run. For a young person wondering where their own work might lead, seeing other Island artists at this stage could start a useful conversation.