The charming Georgian market town of Holt in Norfolk, where galleries, cafés, restaurants and independent shops thrive, is proud to once again be resuming its role as host of East Anglia’s celebration of creativity this summer. Festival Director, Anwen Hurt, has created another jam packed programme of outstanding entertainment for this year’s event that will run from Saturday 23 to Saturday 30 July.
Among the guest attendees are best-selling author Marian Keyes, antiques expert and teatime TV favourite Paul Martin and writer, poet and national treasure Lemn Sissay. There will also be an eclectic mix of music from the award winning pianist Ivana Gavrić to the ultimate vocal experience that is the Mike King Collective.
In addition to the highly regarded annual Sir John Hurt & Sworders Art Prizes, plus the new Charlotte Fraser Ceramics Prize, Sworders is delighted to be sponsoring a special art exhibition, curated by Fine Art Director, James Glennie, that features the work of John Craxton and Pablo Picasso, and celebrates Craxton’s centenary year. The Craxton – Picasso exhibition, with an extended running time from Saturday 16 through to Sunday 31 July, will also include original works by Lucian Freud, Alberto Giacometti, Henry Moore and other luminaries.
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John Craxton (1922 - 2009) Red & Yellow Landscape 1945, oil on canvas. © John Craxton Estate/DACS
The Sir John Hurt Art Prize and Sworders Art Prizes are integral to the festival celebrations with shortlist exhibitions running from Saturday 23 to Saturday 30 July (the ceramics prize will run until Sunday 31).
The Prizes on offer in 2022 are:
The Sir John Hurt Art Prize - £2,000
The Charlotte Fraser Ceramics Prize - £1,000
The Sworders Prize for Emerging Artists - £750 and a commission free exhibition at The Gallery, Holt
The Sworders Prize for Young Artists - £500
WINNER OF THE SWORDERS ART PRIZE 2021
Rosie Phillips
'Chien d'amour'
oil on canvas
WINNER OF THE SIR JOHN HURT ART PRIZE 2021
Barbara Nati
'Briny Chronicles'
digital collage
Artists are invited to submit their entries online from which shortlist exhibitions will be selected. The shortlist exhibitions will then run from Saturday 23 to Saturday 30 July (the ceramics prize will run until Sunday 31) and artworks may be offered for sale during the event.
Entry fee - £5
All entries for the Sworders Art Prizes are automatically entered into the Sir John Hurt Art Prize free of charge.
The art prize shortlist exhibitions will be held at Adrian Hill Fine Art in Lees Yard in Holt and the ceramics prize shortlist exhibition will be adjacent to this year’s festival exhibition Craxton – Picasso at St Andrew's Church, Meeting Room & Gardens, which includes Picasso ceramics from the Attenborough Collection, kindly loaned by the New Walk Museum & Art Gallery, Leicester.
The closing date for entries online is midnight Sunday 19 June with physical artworks due by 16-19 July.
The winners will be announced on the evening of Sunday 24 July in St Andrew’s Church and live on Youtube.
For more information about the prizes, the judging panel, and how to enter, please visit http://www.holtfestival.org/artprizes/