We are delighted to announce the four artists shortlisted for the sixth Northern Art Prize. The artists are: Margaret Harrison, Rosalind Nashashibi, Emily Speed and Joanne Tatham & Tom O’Sullivan.  Work by the artists will be displayed at Leeds Art Gallery in a new Northern Art Prize exhibition, from 28 March until 16 June 2013, where the winner will be announced at a special event to be held on 23rd May 2013.

Selecting from a long-list of 21 artists and artist collaborators, were a panel of leading visual arts professionals, chaired by Sarah Brown, Curator of Exhibitions at Leeds Art Gallery, that comprised Tomma Abts, Turner Prize-winning painter; Margot Heller, Director of South London Gallery; Jennifer Higgie, Co-Editor of contemporary art magazine ‘Frieze’ and James Lingwood, Co-Director of Artangel. Commenting on their selection, the judges stated:

“The shortlist reflects the breadth of artists nominated in terms of both generation and choice of media. They range from the drawings, watercolours and installations of Margaret Harrison, who has lived and worked in the North for several decades, through to Rosalind Nashashibi who studied in the North and recently returned to the area having established an international reputation.  Emily Speed’s sculptures and performance works are evidence of the strength of the burgeoning young art scene in the North, and Tatham & O’Sullivan’s work reflects the predominance of conceptual and multi-media approaches in the submissions.”