Nurturing emerging talent and igniting creativity within Yorkshire's artistic community, Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) is calling out for their next 2024 Yorkshire Graduate Award winner.
This two week residency opportunity aims to provide recent graduate artists with a platform to develop their practice and diversify their experience within the creative industry - and according to last year’s winner, it’s ‘life changing’.
Leeds-based winner 23-24, Astrid Butt, used her residency as a way to explore gender, motherhood and domestication through animal-human hybrid. Astrid utilised YSP’s 500-acre parkland to full effect, shooting expansive and atmospheric footage for her new short film as an extension of her Master’s Degree in Fine Art at University of Leeds.
Talking about just how impactful this residency has been for her in gaining industry experience, Astrid said: “When I began applying for this award last year, I couldn’t have envisioned the doors that it has opened for me artistically. This has been my first residency and it has been life changing to say the least.
“Getting the Yorkshire Graduate Award has been an incredible opportunity. The time I have spent at the Park has been unforgettable. As a Fine Art graduate, it is increasingly difficult to find a fulfilling career that matches your skillset or balance a full-time job with your artistic practice. Yorkshire Sculpture Park has given me the opportunity to develop my skills, compensated me for my work and time, and given me a platform to share my art with the public, for which I am endlessly thankful!”
Astrid’s journey underpins the potential the award has in providing artists with a platform to develop their skills, share their art with the public, and navigate the complexities of transitioning from academia to the professional art world during a particularly tricky time.
Open to talented BA or MA graduates from Yorkshire-based universities, the award promises an immersive residency experience set against the breathtaking backdrop of YSP's sprawling landscape. The chosen recipient will have the privilege of a residency lasting up to two weeks during the autumn/winter of 2024 or spring 2025, complete with onsite accommodation, access to state-of-the-art workshops, and personalised guidance from YSP's esteemed technical team.
Graduates interested are encouraged to explore the opportunity with Yorkshire Sculpture Park and apply by 19 June.
Header image by Astrid Butt, courtesy YSP.
