The Biennial PDA Emerging Artist Award

Celebrating the diversity of creative talent in and around the Peak District our Young Emerging Artist Award aims to encourage and support a young emerging artist or maker at the start of their career.​  

Applications for our current award are now open and will close on 31 July 2025

The Award for 2025 has been sponsored by Holcim Uk.

‘Holcim UK are delighted to be supporting the Young Emerging Artist Programme. As an organisation we know only too well how important it is to recognise and celebrate young talent. We look forward to watching the programme unfold and hearing all about the entries this year.’

Emerging Artist Application

About the PDA Emerging Artist Award

The winner is invited to become a member Peak District Artisans with subsidised fees for three years. Support and opportunities are 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 provides:

  • Cash prize of £150
  • Membership of PDA for 3 years with subscriptions subsidised on a diminishing scale
  • Support 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 pdf download).

Previous Award Winners

Our Young Emerging Artist Award winner for 2023 was Holly Clifford Holly creates three dimensional topographic wall pieces and jewellery, mapping iconic and personal locations across the globe. Contour lines cut are into a single sheet of metal which she then shapes by hand into the relief of the landscape it represents. Her maps are further enhanced using blackening solution, rubbing back areas of elevation to add contrast, and buffing.

‘I am very grateful for the fabulous opportunities that the PDA Young Emerging Artist award made possible. Exhibiting my first ever solo show has been a crucial stepping stone in elevating my profile as an artist/maker, and I really feel like I’ve become part of the PDA family, with their ongoing support and guidance.’

We were so impressed by all our finalists in 2023 that we are also awarding runners up prizes of subsidised membership of PDA to a further three young emerging artists, Becca Brown, Bel Holland and Matt Whiting, who are all ceramicists.

Our 2021 winner was Bethan Nadin, a Highland raised artist and designer, past student of Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen, and Bridge House Art, Ullapool. Bethan works for an outdoor clothing brand on the edge of the Peak District and is inspired by the great outdoors.

In 2019 our first ‘Young Emerging Artisan’ award winner was Rebecca Perry, a young and talented ceramicist from Chesterfield who impressed the selection panel with her stunning work and determination to succeed in the competitive world of the creative industries. Rebecca had recently graduated from Stafford University and has a studio in Sheffield.
The YEA award 2019 to 2023 was sponsored by the Trevor Osborne Charitable Trust. 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.