Winners announced for North East Emerging Artist Award, inspired by Seaton Delaval Hall in Northumberland

Jordan Edge, Phoebe Scott, and Lucy Waters have won the third annual North East Emerging Artist Award following an exhibition of finalist’s proposals at the National Trust site in May and June, at which visitors could vote for their favourite works.

As winners of the contest, which is organised by the National Trust and independent curator Matthew Jarratt, they will receive funding to realise their proposals and exhibit the completed works alongside proposals by next year’s competition finalists next summer.

Jordan, a non-binary/trans artist also known as Kiik Amor, will present their work The Lyre of Elysium, with metals, latex, and silicone used to create sculptures forming part of an abstract sound installation.

They said: “It is a great opportunity for me to work on home ground. I am proud to be from Newcastle and incredibly happy to get this amazing opportunity to work with the National Trust and Seaton Delaval Hall on this project.

“The history of Seaton Delaval Hall has provided a doorway into exploring my own interpretations of the fantasy, music, and lore that has been left behind with the Delavals, informing my public sound sculpture.

“I am excited to enchant the grounds of Seaton Delaval and provide new speculation on the existing history and fantasy of the Delavals with my Aeolian Harp and musical composition.”

Interdisciplinary artist and Newcastle University fine art graduate Pheobe, who has a background in dance and set design, focuses on theatrical femininity with her work and 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 North East Emerging Artist 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, following on from her Bridge Gallery exhibition at Tynemouth Metro Station, will create a dining ware set Delaval Ware.

The Newcastle University fine art graduate 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.

“To be able to respond to the site in this way is something that I am really looking forward to."

The Delaval family, Seaton Delaval Hall’s historic inhabitants, are synonymous with patronage of the arts, including support for watercolourist Arthur Pond, erotic novelist John Clelland, and artists William Bell.

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.”