The Peak District Artisans are launching their Emerging Artist Award on May 1st and are calling on all young and emerging artists to apply! Every two years the Peak District Artisans, an association of artists and craftspeople from in and around the beautiful Peak District, hold a competition which aims to encourage and support creative individuals just starting out on their career.

This year, The Biennial PDA Emerging Artist Award is being held in association with the Trevor Osborne Charitable Trust.*

Applications for the 2023 award open on 1st May and will close on 31st July 2023.

The aim of this award is to encourage and support a young emerging artist or maker at the start of their career. The winner will be invited to become a member Peak District Artisans with subsidised fees for three years. Expertise and opportunities will be provided with the intention that after three years the artist/maker will be able to fund their membership of the group independently, setting them on the path to work as a professional artist.

Specifically PDA will provide:

• Cash prize
• Membership of PDA for 3 years with subscriptions subsidised on a diminishing scale
• Support, mentoring and advice from experienced artists and makers
• Guaranteed exhibition and retail opportunities in key Peak District venues
• Inclusion on the PDA website and in the annual brochure
• Access to advice on exhibiting/pricing/online marketing/photography etc.
• Access to the PDA online forum.

The criteria for application is:

• You must currently be producing high quality work in either 2D or 3D (sorry, no film, video or installation work)
• You must be aged between 18 and 30 at close of applications
• You can supply evidence of your intention to work as a professional artist/maker
• You have a body of work to show to the selection committee
• You can attend an in person interview in Bakewell (date TBC)
• You live or work within the Peak District tourism area as defined by Visit Peak District Tourism area map (click here to view map).

*Founded by Trevor Osborne, developer of the Buxton Crescent and Thermal Spa, the trust support arts projects in and around Buxton; providing grants and sponsorship for events such as the Buxton Spa Prize and the PDA Emerging Artist Award.