This year, London becomes the ninth region to join The Sovereign Art Foundation Students Prizes portfolio. With an overwhelming number of entries and generous sponsorship from Phillips, the London Prize is poised to be one of our best yet.

The shortlisted works will be exhibited at Phillips’ London headquarters at 30 Berkeley Square, from 9 – 15 December 2020, parallel to their 20th Century & Contemporary New Now sale featuring works from an international roster of emerging artists and contemporary masters.  

Howard Bilton, Founder and Chairman of The Sovereign Art Foundation, commented on the partnership with Phillips:

“We are thrilled to have such a well-established and important partner supporting us as we launch this Students Prize in London. To have the finalists’ artworks showcased in such a prestigious venue, alongside Phillips’ ‘New Now’ auction, represents an incredible opportunity for students to have their work viewed by Phillips’ international collectors, as well as the art-loving public of this dynamic city. We sincerely thank Phillips for their generous support and for providing this fantastic platform to students in London.” 

In the words of American novelist John Cheever, “art is the triumph over chaos” – a sentiment that has become increasingly relevant in 2020. Having launched a new Prize amid the chaos of this year, the tumultuous events have undoubtedly provided inspiration for the students. The tragic killing that sparked a global movement is poignantly addressed in Fathia Adeniran’s How A Policeman Killed George Floyd With His Knee, while Lottie Simpson tackles the universally felt struggles of the COVID-19 pandemic in her work Isolation.

Just as there are times to reflect on struggle, we should also remember to make time for happiness and enjoyment. Melanie Larre captures a moment of tenderness in Safe Space, as does Maci-Skye Anthony in her work, My Mother.

Explore the work of all twenty finalists here. Several of these artworks will be available for silent auction via our website. You are also invited to vote for your favourite, with the most popular artist receiving the Public Vote Prize. Celebrating student art and uplifting the voice of the youth is the core aim of the Student Prizes. Please join us by supporting these extremely talented artists!