‘Rising Talent’ is a yearly exhibition held at The Gallery in Hastings Arts Forum in St Leonards. Now in its fourth consecutive year, this highly innovative show gives young and emerging artists the opportunity to exhibit their work in a professional gallery, at no extra cost to themselves.

Each year members of the Exhibitions Committee visit colleges across East Sussex and invite selected artists to exhibit. Head of Exhibitions Lesley Barker explained more about The Gallery’s detailed selection process:

“We visit various end of year shows with a completely open mind. We have no idea what each year’s students are going to offer us. We want to be excited, intrigued, perplexed even by their work! They’re the next generation of artists after all …we want to know what their concerns are, what’s going on in their minds?”

‘Hands’ collaborative piece by students at Lewes College

‘Rising Talent 4’ looks set to be The Gallery’s most compelling show yet. This year’s body of work reflects myriad concerns, relating to the current socio-political climate. Exhibiting artists explore a comprehensive variety of themes, from our burgeoning relationship with technology, to concerns of personal identity and displacement within a wider, cultural context.

What’s perhaps most impressive, is the sheer quality of work on display, as yet still untainted by the constraints of the conformative mainstream. I was especially taken with some works by students from Lewes College with personal experience of displacement and refugee status. A fellow artist from Brighton University uses images of the human form as a physical canvas, to depict dystopian fears of automation and the Self.

‘Rising Talent 4’ undoubtedly provides a much needed platform for these young students and their contemporaries, to express themselves within a truly supportive and inclusive environment.

As Lesley Barker concludes;
“It’s a privilege to see the work of these young artists exhibited in our gallery, at such an important stage in their development. ‘Rising Talent’ demonstrates the breadth of the role we aspire to pursue in the visual arts locally, alongside our ambition to support young artists and show the complexity and exciting diversity of their work.”

So save the date and show your support for the visual voices of tomorrow, today!

• ‘Rising Talent 4’ is running from 3rd-15th Sept 2019 (Private view is on Friday 6th September 6.30-8.30pm). Please refer to The Gallery at Hastings Arts Forum website for further information www.hastingsartsforum.co.uk

I am a beneficiary of the first step of an initiative called ‘Rising Talent’. Last year I responded to an invitation to submit work for an exhibition advertised as ‘free to all young and emerging artists who would like to exhibit their work’. I was fortunate enough to have my work included in last year’s exhibition and this year I, along with one other of last year’s ‘intake’, have been invited by Sally Meakins, Head of Exhibitions at Hastings Arts Forum, to exhibit in this year’s Rising Talent show.

I visited Sally at the gallery this week to discuss the work that I will be including in the show and took the opportunity to ask her more about Rising Talent, where it came from and where it might be going.

I asked her how the idea of Rising Talent had come about and she said, “I have always wanted to give young and emerging artists an opportunity that they would not necessarily get anywhere else, to show their work in a commercial gallery and the experience that goes along with that. We put a call out for artists who have never exhibited ‘professionally’ before and who want to take up this opportunity to have their work selected for a group show – and at no charge.  We think this may be a unique opportunity as artists can exhibit for free and the work is for sale.  We do however take a commission on sales. To make sure we engage a large audience, the show will be widely publicised.”

When I asked her whether a submitting artist’s background made any difference – a factor that has always discouraged me in the past as I don’t have an art degree – she made it clear that it made no difference at all.  “We specifically do not ask about an artist’s background or pedigree, submissions are judged solely on the quality and developmental potential of the work.”

When I asked her whether the selection panel were looking for a variety of work, she confirmed that was the aim, “however, due to space there may be a difficulty with a very large installation, for instance, but we are open to proposals.  We are looking to feature the work of between six and eight artists.”

“We will involve the artist in decisions on how their work will be presented, they will collaborate with the curator so that their wishes are considered within the overall look of the show.”

In answer to my final question, “how do you mentor and encourage emerging artists who will be exhibiting in a professional environment for the first time?” Sally explained, “we do this on a very individual basis depending on what kind of support an artist requires.  This will come out in conversation.  Some people will want some technical advice and we can link them up with someone who can help and sometimes just discussing the work and the direction they want to go in is what is needed.  It’s all about learning and sharing.”

To find out more about Hastings Arts Forum Rising Talent show and how to apply visit www.hastingsartsforum.co.uk/rising-talent-young-and-emerging-artists/ or email exhibitions@hastinsgartsforum.co.uk putting Rising Talent in the subject header.