London Students Prize

Howard Bilton, a British-born entrepreneur and barrister, has made a multifaceted impact on tax advisory services, philanthropy, and the wine industry in Portugal and beyond. His ventures reflect a unique blend of business acumen and social responsibility, creating a lasting legacy in each sector he touches. 

Tax

As the chairman and founder of The Sovereign Group, Bilton has significantly influenced the tax landscape, particularly for expatriates and international businesses. The Group provides comprehensive tax planning and wealth management services, which help clients navigate complex tax systems. By doing so, it supports individuals and companies to optimize their tax positions within the legal framework, fostering an environment that is conducive to foreign investment and economic growth in Portugal. 

Charity

In the realm of charity, Bilton’s establishment of The Sovereign Art Foundation has made a notable impact on the local and international art scenes. The foundation not only recognizes and supports artists through awards and exhibitions but also raises substantial funds for charitable causes. A significant portion of its work is dedicated to using art as a medium for educational and healing purposes, particularly for disadvantaged children. Through these initiatives, Bilton has harnessed the power of art to make a tangible difference in the lives of many, providing both cultural enrichment and social support. 

 Wine

With Howard’s Folly, Bilton has ventured into the wine industry, intertwining the worlds of oenology and art. The winery is known for producing high-quality wines that reflect the rich terroir of Portugal, contributing to the country’s reputation as a producer of fine wines. Beyond the production, Howard’s Folly serves as a cultural destination, hosting art exhibitions and events that attract visitors from around the world. This unique concept not only promotes Portuguese wine but also elevates the cultural experience of wine tasting, setting a precedent for how wineries can engage with the arts. 

Overall Impact

Howard Bilton’s impact in the fields of tax, charity, and wine is characterized by a forward-thinking approach that leverages professional expertise to foster cultural and social development. By integrating his business endeavors with philanthropic goals, Bilton has shown that commercial success can go hand-in-hand with making a positive social contribution. His efforts have provided a model for sustainable development, showcasing how individual dedication to professional excellence and social responsibility can lead to broad and beneficial societal impacts. 

Joe Kennedy is the Co-Founder and Director of Unit, a contemporary art gallery established in 2013 alongside Jonny Burt. Founded with a mission to discover and support the world’s most gifted artists, Unit is dedicated to presenting their work to the broadest possible audience. In 2018, the gallery opened a flagship 6,000-square-foot space in the heart of Mayfair, London, on Hanover Square.

Unit is known for its bold, diverse, and thought-provoking programme, having hosted acclaimed solo and group exhibitions featuring artists such as Ithell Colquhoun, Linder Sterling, Ed Ruscha, Jenny Holzer, Sthenjwa Luthuli, Suchitra Mattai, Barti Kher, Jenny Saville, Ryan Hewett, Stacey Gillian Abe, Cydne Jasmin Coleby, Helen Beard, and Annie Morris. The gallery collaborates with renowned curators including David Anfam (Senior Consulting Curator, Clyfford Still Museum), Rachel Thomas (Chief Curator, Hayward Gallery), Aindrea Emelife (Writer and Curator), and Azu Nwagbogu (Founder and Director, African Artists’ Foundation).

In line with its broader vision of inclusivity and social responsibility, Unit launched Voices in 2020—a pioneering virtual exhibition series providing a platform for artists to explore urgent socio-cultural and political issues. A portion of the proceeds from each exhibition is donated to charitable organisations chosen by the participating artists.

In 2021, Kennedy co-founded Institut, the first NFT platform led by the art world. Its debut exhibition, NFTism: No Fear in Trying, curated by Kenny Schachter, brought together over 100 innovative digital artists pushing the boundaries of contemporary practice.

Kennedy serves on advisory boards for several art prizes, fairs, and awards. He is also a young patron of major institutions including Tate and the Serpentine Gallery. In 2019, he was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for his impact on the global art and culture landscape.

He is a frequent speaker on topics such as entrepreneurship and the evolving contemporary art market, with past engagements at CogX London, Art Dubai, the Art Business Conference, The Arts Club, and Talking Galleries.

Kevin Francis Gray, (Armagh, 1972) is an Irish sculptor. He studied Painting at the National College Of Art and Design in Dublin (1995), the School of Art Institute in Chicago (1996), and Goldsmiths University in London (1999). He now splits his life and work between London, UK and Pietrasanta, Italy. Known for working predominantly with marble, Gray inherits the material’s historic and cultural legacies and re-contextualises the classical modus operandi into contemporary productions, celebrating the tradition of sculpture whilst favouring a forward-looking approach. Addressing the complex relationship between abstract and figuration in his subjects, Gray transcends marble’s innate features of hardness and stillness, defeating its nature and the physicality of the process, succeeding at breathing life into the stone to unearth shapes and emotions buried within the block.

Gray is internationally represented by Pace (New York, London, Hong Kong, Seoul, Geneva, East Hampton, Palm Beach, Los Angeles), Andersen’s (Copenhagen), Eduardo Secci (Florence, Milan, Pietrasanta), and Alon Segev (Tel Aviv). His work has been included in exhibitions at Museo Bardini, Florence, Italy (2020); Sculpture in the City, London, UK (2019); Messums Wiltshire, Tisbury, UK (2018); Villa Santo Sospir, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France (2017); Armagh Market Place Arts Centre, Armagh, Northern Ireland (2017); Belvedere Museum, Vienna, Austria (2014); Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv, Israel (2011); Nieuw Dakota, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (2011); MAC VAL Musée d’Art Contemporain du Val-de- Marne, Vitry-sur-Seine, France (2010); Daejeon Museum of Art, Daejoen, South Korea (2009); Riso - Museo regionale d’Arte Contemporanea di Palermo, Palermo, Italy (2009); MAMC Musée d’Art Moderne de Saint-Étienne métropole, Saint-Étienne, France (2009, 2008); Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe, UK (2008); ARTIUM Centro-Museo Vasco de Arte Contemporáneo, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain (2008); RA Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK (2002); Art Space NY, New York NY, USA (2000).

Melanie Gerlis became the weekly art market columnist for the Financial Times in 2016. She was previously Art Market Editor for The Art Newspaper (2007-2016), before which she was a financial communications adviser at Finsbury in the City of London (1996-2005). She has a BA in English Literature from Cambridge University and an MA from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Her book, Art as an Investment?, was published in 2014 and her forthcoming book, The Art Fair Story: A Rollercoaster Ride, will be published in late 2021 (Lund Humphries).

Photo by Georgie Tamberlin

Nick Hornby is a British artist based in London (b.1980). His work addresses queer identity, semiotics and art-historical critique. He employs experimental digital technologies that result in traditional objects made from resin, bronze, steel, granite and marble. In 2023 he unveiled three significant public commissions in London. Each of these critically engages with the core tropes of public art – equestrian, memorial and abstract. In 2022, he published a major monograph with Anomie.

Hornby studied at Slade School of Art and Chelsea College of Art where he was awarded the UAL Sculpture Prize. In the UK, he has exhibited at Tate Britain, The Southbank Centre, Leighton House London, CASS Sculpture Foundation and the Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge. And internationally at The Museum of Arts and Design New York and Poznan Bienalle, Poland. Residencies include with Outset (Israel), Eyebeam (New York), and awards include the UAL Sculpture Prize. In 2014 he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Sculptors. His work has been reviewed in the New York Times, Frieze, Artforum, The Art Newspaper, The FT, and featured in Architectural Digest, Cultured Magazine and Artsy among others.

Nicole Schoeni is a contemporary art collector, dealer and patron of the arts. She launched Schoeni Projects in 2020, a business and an independent art initiative to support her commitment to the arts.

Nicole was the director of Schoeni Art Gallery, one of Asia’s most influential art venues, pivotal in the development of a generation of Chinese contemporary artists and a prestigious hub for the Hong Kong art world. She is an active patron of Sovereign Art Foundation (HK), Asia Art Archive (HK), Para Site (HK), Victoria and Albert (UK) and a director of Asian Art in London. She also sits on the committee for The 14th Factory, and on the advisory team for Arts for Good Foundation (HK).