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GIBSP2023_Ana Tricker_The Patata Man (1)
GIBSP2023_Ana Tricker_The Patata Man (1)

The Sovereign Young Artist Competition 2026

The Gibraltar Students Prize is open to all students who were enrolled at a secondary institution* in Gibraltar during the 2025-2026 academic year and are aged 11-18 years old (at the time of entry). 

 

The Young Adults Prize is open to all artists aged 19-24 years old (at the time of entry) and living in Gibraltar

 

Entry is open until 30 January 2026


Shortlist

Nadia Magner
A Map of Years image
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A Map of Years
Aimee Linares
Sketches in Soles image
VOTE NOW
Sketches in Soles
Sarah Osborne
Amber Beetle image
VOTE NOW
Amber Beetle
Charlotte Double
Sisters on the Beach image
VOTE NOW
Sisters on the Beach
Nesya Tesciuba
City main lane image
VOTE NOW
City main lane
Ana Sheriff
Double gaze  image
VOTE NOW
Double gaze
Julianne Podesta
Dream state image
VOTE NOW
Dream state
Eden Snitkovsky
Drowning  image
VOTE NOW
Drowning
Amelie Romero
Girl on Laptop image
VOTE NOW
Girl on Laptop
Alba Bocarisa
Irish town steps image
VOTE NOW
Irish town steps
Hannah Gross
Kinder Bueno image
VOTE NOW
Kinder Bueno
Stella Louise Bosano
Look closer  image
VOTE NOW
Look closer
Hannah Abergel
Midtown image
VOTE NOW
Midtown
Mathieu Jules Busto
Quiet Strength image
VOTE NOW
Quiet Strength
Louis Francis Borda
Reflect image
VOTE NOW
Reflect
Isabella Hill
Rose's in a yellow vase  image
VOTE NOW
Rose’s in a yellow vase
Renee Desoisa
Segmented image
VOTE NOW
Segmented
Sveva Personeni
Shades of Beauty image
VOTE NOW
Shades of Beauty
Esther Benaim
Shimmer & Shadow image
VOTE NOW
Shimmer & Shadow
Kayleigh Durante
 image
VOTE NOW
Sara Dolties
Spring Wings image
VOTE NOW
Spring Wings
Sarah Cavilla Latin
Suits  image
VOTE NOW
Suits
Batya Levy
Sweets image
VOTE NOW
Sweets
Sebastian Andlaw
The Changing Tide  image
VOTE NOW
The Changing Tide
Libby Bitan
The Living Gem image
VOTE NOW
The Living Gem
Michael Fox
The Spark Of Consciousness image
VOTE NOW
The Spark Of Consciousness
Cecilia Alarcon Bravo
Two Percent  image
VOTE NOW
Two Percent
Emily Peat
Unseen. image
VOTE NOW
Unseen.
Penelope Hill
Who is she? image
VOTE NOW
Who is she?
Ana Mari­a Tricker
Levante image
VOTE NOW
Levante
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01 / 30

Nadia Magner

A Map of Years image

Nadia Magner

A Map of Years
School: Prior Park School
Dimension: 20 x 15 cm
Medium: Pencil drawing on paper
Age: 13

Pencil drawing inspired by the beauty of the story that lies in ones years, although it does not last forever.

02 / 30

Aimee Linares

Sketches in Soles image

Aimee Linares

Sketches in Soles
School: Bayside Comprehensive School
Dimension: 89 x 64 cm
Medium: Pencil
Age: 18

An A1 hand drawn pencil study featuring a collection of overlapping shoe soles.

03 / 30

Sarah Osborne

Amber Beetle image

Sarah Osborne

Amber Beetle
School: Gibraltar Girls High School
Dimension: 30 x 42cm
Medium: Coloured pencils on black paper
Age: 14

A coloured drawing of a beetle captured by microphotography.

04 / 30

Charlotte Double

Sisters on the Beach image

Charlotte Double

Sisters on the Beach
School: Bayside Comprehensive School
Dimension: 60 x 34 cm
Medium: Acrylic on board
Age: 17

A childhood photo of my sister and I on the beach on a gloomy day.

05 / 30

Nesya Tesciuba

City main lane image

Nesya Tesciuba

City main lane
School: Gibraltar Girls High School
Dimension: 14
Medium: Black ink on paper
Age: 30 x 42 cm

I was inspired by my own photograph, I used black pen on paper.

06 / 30

Ana Sheriff

Double gaze  image

Ana Sheriff

Double gaze
School: Prior Park School
Dimension: 30 x 42cm
Medium: Photography
Age: 16

A image inspired by David Samuel Stern who edits with double exposure. I used his work to inspire me to create my own.

07 / 30

Julianne Podesta

Dream state image

Julianne Podesta

Dream state
School: Bayside Comprehensive School
Dimension: 120 x 65 cm
Medium: Acrylic on board
Age: 17

This piece captures the moment we return home and settle into the day’s chaos. The contrasting patterns surrounding the figure act as a visual weight, mirroring the friction of daily routines and the sensory overload that peaks by evening. Caught in this vibrant clutter, she embodies the conflict of trying to find stillness within a world that feels loud, and the feeling when the peace finally comes.

08 / 30

Eden Snitkovsky

Drowning  image

Eden Snitkovsky

Drowning
School: Prior Park School
Dimension: 42 x 52 cm
Medium: Oil paint
Age: 18

An oil painting of a women submerged in water.

09 / 30

Amelie Romero

Girl on Laptop image

Amelie Romero

Girl on Laptop
School: Westside Comprehensive School
Dimension: 84 x 59 cm
Medium: Acrylic on paper
Age: 16

A portrait based on the covid19 lockdown. Where students were forced to learn online. Made to portray the stress of having to continue our studies while stuck at home.

10 / 30

Alba Bocarisa

Irish town steps image

Alba Bocarisa

Irish town steps
School: Bayside Comprehensive School
Dimension: 42 x 94 cm
Medium: Acrylic on board
Age: 17

A painting inspired by the side steps that lead to Irish town and the topic of signs around Gibraltar.

11 / 30

Hannah Gross

Kinder Bueno image

Hannah Gross

Kinder Bueno
School: Gibraltar Girls High School
Dimension: 23 x 32 cm
Medium: Acrylic paint on paper
Age: 14

A image inspired by David Samuel Stern who edits with double exposure. I used his work to inspire me to create my own.

12 / 30

Stella Louise Bosano

Look closer  image

Stella Louise Bosano

Look closer
School: Westside Comprehensive School
Dimension: 40 x 40 cm
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Age: 18

I painted a close-up of my eye. While working into the veins, small figures appeared inside it. They’re only visible up close-meant to be found, not announced. From a distance, it’s just an eye.

13 / 30

Hannah Abergel

Midtown image

Hannah Abergel

Midtown
School: Gibraltar Girls High School
Dimension: 30 x 42 cm
Medium: Graphite pencil on paper
Age: 14

For this piece I used graphite pencils on paper to portray a first-hand picture I took of Lexlington building in Midtown, Gibraltar.

14 / 30

Mathieu Jules Busto

Quiet Strength image

Mathieu Jules Busto

Quiet Strength
School: Bayside Comprehensive School
Dimension: 50 x 60 cm
Medium: Arcylic on board
Age: 17

Figurative study of the human form.

15 / 30

Louis Francis Borda

Reflect image

Louis Francis Borda

Reflect
School: Prior Park School
Dimension: 38 x 29 cm
Medium: Photography
Age: 15

A moment of reflection in the garden.

16 / 30

Isabella Hill

Rose's in a yellow vase  image

Isabella Hill

Rose’s in a yellow vase
School: Prior Park School
Dimension: 21 x 30 cm
Medium: An oil painting on oil paper
Age: 17

A still-life painting of 6 roses in a yellow glass vase.

17 / 30

Renee Desoisa

Segmented image

Renee Desoisa

Segmented
School: Prior Park School
Dimension: 50 x 70 cm
Medium: Macro photography
Age: 17

A abstract exploration of citrus forms through macro photography.

18 / 30

Sveva Personeni

Shades of Beauty image

Sveva Personeni

Shades of Beauty
School: Prior Park School
Dimension: 21 x 30 cm
Medium: Photography
Age: 14

The sky has many shades, this is my favourite.

19 / 30

Esther Benaim

Shimmer & Shadow image

Esther Benaim

Shimmer & Shadow
School: Gibraltar Girls High School
Dimension: 30 x 42 cm
Medium: Gel pens and pastels
Age: 13

I have drawn this inspired by micro-photography. I have used gel pens for the detailed eyes and pastels for the rest of the picture. i am very satisfied with the result and I hope you like it too!

20 / 30

Kayleigh Durante

 image

Kayleigh Durante

School: Bayside Comprehensive School
Dimension: 42 x 30 cm
Medium: Digital art
Age: 14

This is a digital art piece, I used pen brushes, ink brushes and airbrushes to achieve the effect I wanted.

21 / 30

Sara Dolties

Spring Wings image

Sara Dolties

Spring Wings
School: Gibraltar Girls High School
Dimension: 30 x 42 cm
Medium: Black paper with pencil colours
Age: 14

A majestic butterfly with spring green dots sky blue touches and coffee brown antennas.

22 / 30

Sarah Cavilla Latin

Suits  image

Sarah Cavilla Latin

Suits
School: Bayside Comprehensive School
Dimension: 50 x 80 cm
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Age: 18

A portrait set within a fragmented interior space.

23 / 30

Batya Levy

Sweets image

Batya Levy

Sweets
School: Gibraltar Girls High School
Dimension: 30 x 42cm
Medium: Acrylic paint on paper
Age: 15

My own composition of sweets using my own photograph and acrylics. Colours and style inspired by the artist Sarah Graham.

24 / 30

Sebastian Andlaw

The Changing Tide  image

Sebastian Andlaw

The Changing Tide
School: Prior Park School
Dimension: 30 x 20 cm
Medium: Photography
Age: 16

Inspired by a day at Rosia.

25 / 30

Libby Bitan

The Living Gem image

Libby Bitan

The Living Gem
School: Gibraltar Girls High School
Dimension: 30 x 42cm
Medium: Pastel pencils on black paper
Age: 14

A coloured pencil drawing taking inspiration from micro photography of a bug.

26 / 30

Michael Fox

The Spark Of Consciousness image

Michael Fox

The Spark Of Consciousness
School: Bayside Comprehensive School
Dimension: 60 x 50 cm
Medium: Watercolour and acrylic on Canvas
Age: 15

The painting suggests that what makes us human isnt just ‘life’ in a biological sense, but the ‘spark’ of self-awareness and thought. This painting was inspired by The creation of adam and Michelangelo.

27 / 30

Cecilia Alarcon Bravo

Two Percent  image

Cecilia Alarcon Bravo

Two Percent
School: Prior Park School
Dimension: 21 x 30 cm
Medium: Photography
Age: 14

I took a picture of my friends eye, we notice that only 2% of people in the world have ginger hair and green eyes and she had these features which are very beautiful and unique so I took advantage of this and took a picture.

28 / 30

Emily Peat

Unseen. image

Emily Peat

Unseen.
School: Prior Park School
Dimension: 40 x 60 cm
Medium: Photography
Age: 15

This image is a photograph I took as a part of my in school photography work. Used to represent the emotions that can be unveiled when we truly confront the parts of ourselves that are hidden or suppressed.

29 / 30

Penelope Hill

Who is she? image

Penelope Hill

Who is she?
School: Prior Park School
Dimension: 42 x 52 cm
Medium: Pen and paper
Age: 14

This is a drawing in pen, inspired by Mark Powell an artist I researched for my GCSE’s.

30 / 30

Ana Mari­a Tricker

Levante image

Ana Mari­a Tricker

Levante
School: Bayside Comprehensive School
Dimension: 60 x 50 cm
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Age: 17

The idea for this painting came to my mind when I saw a miserable, rainy day start to turn colourful.

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Thanks for voting!

How To Participate

01

Nomination

Entrants to the student prize must be nominated by their teacher. Upon entry, students will be asked to enter the name of their nominating teacher.

Young Adults may nominate themselves

Click here for T&Cs.

02

Artwork Submission

Entrants (students and Young Adults) can submit one artwork each online before the submission deadline. Please follow the entry instructions in the T&Cs.

Our panel of judges will then select 30 student artists for the shortlist. There will be a maximum of 10 Young Adult artists selected. All shortlisted artworks will be publicly exhibited.

03

The Prizes (Gibraltar Student Prizes)

The Judges Prize of £800 is awarded to the student artist with the highest score from the judges. £2000 is awarded to the school of the Judges Prize winner.

The Public Vote Prize of £400 is awarded to the student artist with the most votes from the public. £1000 is awarded to the school of the Public Vote Prize Winner.

Alwani Prize of £500 is awarded to the student finalist with the highest mark from year 9-11 (GCSE), excluding the SAF winners.

04

The Prizes (Young Adult Prize)

Ministry of Culture award of £1000 is given to the finalist with the highest judges’ mark.

AquaGib Second Prize of £500 is given to the finalist with the second highest judges’ mark

Shattered Reality by Keith Fernandes Key Dates mobile image

Key Dates

Submission Period

19 September 2025 — 30 January 2026

Shortlist Announcement

— February 2026

Finalists Exhibition

19-26 March 2026 |
Venue: Gustavo Bacarisas Gallery

14-16 April 2026 | 
Venue: The Growing Artist Programme, Irish Town

Awards Ceremony

16 April 2026 | Venue: The Growing Artist Programme, Irish Town

Judges

Amy Shepherd image
Amy Shepherd
Head of Creative Development at The Growing Artists Programme
Amy Shepherd image

Amy Shepherd

Head of Creative Development at The Growing Artists Programme

Amy Shepherd studied Performing Arts and spent over eight years teaching in the UK. She went on to work as an educational consultant, helping schools embed written elements within practical subjects and supporting staff in planning for creative learning. Amy is now the Head of Creative Development at The Growing Artists Programme, where she leads events, community projects, and creates opportunities for young people and local artists to thrive. 

Beatrice Garcia image
Beatrice Garcia
Fine Artist and Illustrator
Beatrice Garcia image

Beatrice Garcia

Fine Artist and Illustrator

Beatrice Garcia is a Gibraltarian fine artist and illustrator. Her bold and colourful work roots itself on historical research and is inspired by the colours of the Mediterranean. 
 
As an artist and illustrator she has worked with a whole host of international clients from architectural firms, property developers and cultural organisations amongst others. These clients include HM Government of Gibraltar’s Ministry of Equality, British Council Qatar, Street Child United, Arc Design, Jersey Post and the Gibraltar Philatelic Bureau.  In 2023 she was longlisted for a World Illustration Award. 

Eleanor Dobbs image
Eleanor Dobbs
Illustrator and Director of The Rock Retreat
Eleanor Dobbs image

Eleanor Dobbs

Illustrator and Director of The Rock Retreat

Eleanor Dobbs is the illustrator of over 50 books for children. Winner of English Award for best children’s book and passionate about encouraging fellow illustrators to open up to the pleasure of making work for children. She teaches and is a multidisciplinary artist which helps her to see the benefits of coming to illustrative solutions through many creative channels. In 2023, Eleanor was awarded the Gibraltar Cultural Ambassador Award by the Ministry of Culture and is proud to connect Gibraltar to an international audience through her work as an artist and children’s book creator. 

Howard Bilton image
Howard Bilton
Founder and Chairman  
Howard Bilton image

Howard Bilton

Founder and Chairman  

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. 

 

Stefano Blanca Sciacaluga image
Stefano Blanca Sciacaluga
Multidisciplinary artist and co-founder of Kitchen Studios
Stefano Blanca Sciacaluga image

Stefano Blanca Sciacaluga

Multidisciplinary artist and co-founder of Kitchen Studios

Stefano Blanca Sciacaluga is a multidisciplinary artist, writer and musician from Gibraltar. His practice is deeply entrenched in photography and graphic design with regular forays into other disciplines, drawing inspiration from often overlooked details of the everyday and the layered cultural heritage of Gibraltar. Active for over two decades, he has exhibited in Gibraltar, Spain and Italy as well as having writings published in local literary publications and press outlets. 

 He is also a co-founder and president of Kitchen Studios, a multidisciplinary contemporary art platform in Gibraltar. With over a decade in operation, Kitchen Studios has extensive experience of exhibitions and artistic actions with artists locally and abroad, in Spain and Morocco. Kitchen Studios’ aim is to foster the arts locally with a particular focus on cooperation, collaboration, experimentation and conversation. 

Sponsors

Charity Partner
Portugal-3 (3)
Venue Sponsor
Portugal-3 (1)
Bronze Sponsor
Portugal-3 (2)
Bronze Sponsor

Prize Winners and Previous Finalists

2024

Prize Winners and Previous Finalists arrow
Judge’s Prize Winner
Zoe Payas
Zoe Payas art
Public Prize
Eve Abudarham
Eve Abudarham  art
The Fortress House Prize winner
Aimee Linares
 Aimee Linares art

2023

Prize Winners and Previous Finalists arrow
Judges Prize Winner
Ana Tricker
Ana Tricker art
Public Vote Prize Winner
Zach Marrache
Zach Marrache art
Hassans Prize Winner
Jeremy McMahon
Jeremy McMahon art

2022

Prize Winners and Previous Finalists arrow
Judges Prize Winner
David Llamas
David Llamas art
Public Vote Prize Winner
Alex Moreno
Alex Moreno art
Hassans Prize Winner
Nicole Zinovev
Nicole Zinovev  art

2021

Prize Winners and Previous Finalists arrow
Judges Prize Winner
India Borge
India Borge   art
Public Vote Prize Winner
Sofia Hillman-Rota
Sofia Hillman-Rota  art
Hassans Prize Winner
Nicole Zinovev
Nicole Zinovev art