NATIONAL SCULPTURE PRIZE 2021

The NSP has established itself as a cornerstone of the fine arts ecosystem, supporting and elevating emerging outdoor artists by providing a platform for new talent. In a change to previous years, the competition was open to all aspiring sculptors and no longer required applicants to have attended an art school with the funding increased from £1,000 towards fabrication of artworks to £2,500 for each successful application.

10 shortlisted artists, the finalists – selected out of the 150 entries were awarded £2,500 each to fabricate their works for the Broomhill Sculpture Park.

The theme for this year’s prize was Out-thinking the Future and two winners were chosen from a shortlist of 10 from over 150 initial entries. The first, decided by a panel of distinguished experts, awarded a £10,000 cash prize plus a £5,000 investment in an additional original sculpture. A further “People’s Choice” winner decided by exhibition attendees, the public vote winner to receive £5,000.

This year, for the first time ever, the public vote was in person only. Sculpture park visitors were invited to come down, view the shortlisted artists and vote for the favourite sculpture to win the £5000 cash prize.

The overall winners were announced on 1st November 2021.

Winners were:

The overall winner of the “Rinus van de Sande Award” & £15,000 is:
Gus Skottowe “Rituals of the Technetium”

The “Aniet van Hoof People’s Choice Award” winner of £5,000 is:
Lucy Gregory with “Rose Tinted”

The Ten Finalists:

Emma Louise Moore A level closer to time
Emily Woolley, A small ocean swallowed
Lucy Gregory, Rose tinted
Jonathan Michael Ray,Large boulder the size of a small boulder
Gus Skottowe, Rituals of the Technium
Thomas Merrett, Listener
Tom Waugh, I am not a robot
Richard Paton, Gravity begins at home
Henrietta Armstrong, Throwing bones
Laura Such, Plane sight
2021 Judging Panel:

Judging Panel:

Adrian Locke,chief curator, Royal Academy of Arts
Gavin Turk,artist
Dianne Harris, curator, Kinetica Museum
Alastair Smart,arts editor and art critic, The Telegraph
Deborah Curtis, founder, and creative director, House of Fairy Tales
Andrew Logan, artist
Sophie Parkin,artist, writer, owner of Vout-o-Reenees / The Stash Gallery
Helen Buckley, curator, ArtFinder
Michelle Charles, artist
Molly Parkin, artist, novelist, fashion editor, broadcaster
Jessica Wetherly, artist, historic NSP winner
Polly Morgan, artist, taxidermist