If I were awarded the Dover Prize £10,000 bursary, I would use the funding to develop a new body of work.The funding would directly support a research and production period, during which I would travel to key locations gathering photographic, archival, and oral materials.
The bursary would also enable me to collaborate with technologists to expand my gigatage method into more interactive and participatory realms. I envision the work culminating in a public exhibition and a digital platform that allows audiences to navigate these speculative landscapes from multiple points of entry.
This award would significantly propel my practice by allowing time and space for deeper experimentation. Ultimately, the Dover Prize would act as a catalyst—supporting a transformative phase in my practice where artistic production.
My work would engage deeply with place, memory, and hidden histories—making Darlington an ideal context for both exploration and contribution.
The scale and visibility of my gigatage practice, which combines ultra-high-resolution imagery, AI, and public engagement, offers an opportunity to position Darlington as a site of forward-thinking, socially conscious digital art. I would collaborate with local creatives, schools, and cultural institutions to run workshops and public talks, helping to demystify emerging technologies and demonstrate their creative potential.
By bringing this hybrid practice—rooted in both community engagement and cutting-edge visual storytelling—to Darlington, I aim to amplify its cultural vibrancy and draw new attention to the region as a place of artistic innovation. This project would not only deepen local connections to contemporary art, but also foster new networks and conversations across the North East and beyond.
I am a British artist whose practice has taken me across the globe—living and working in Turkey, the USA, Slovakia, Italy, Nepal, Russia, Oman, China, and the UK. My work has been exhibited at leading venues throughout Europe, Asia, and North America, including the Ars Electronica Centre in Linz, Austria; Nord Art in Büdelsdorf, Germany; The Emily Harvey Foundation in Venice, Italy; The Royal College of Art in London; The Centre for Contemporary Art in Glasgow; the Chinese European Art Centre in Xiamen, China; the Toyota Museum of Modern Art in Japan; the Czong Institute for Contemporary Art in South Korea; The Patan Museum in Kathmandu; the Austin Museum of Digital Art in Texas; and the Arts Students League in New York City. In 2021, I won the Mediterranean Contemporary Art Prize President’s Award, and was runner-up for the Alpine Fellowship Visual Arts Prize. I was also an award winner for the Art Observatory Digital Art Program (Ukraine/UK), a finalist in the ‘Airland 4.0 | Nature, Technology, Energy’ Competition, and shortlisted for the Passpartout Photo Prize in Italy. In 2024, I was artist in residence at La Maison de Barbara in Ayvalık, Turkey. In 2021, I took part in two digital residencies—at the Belgrade Art Studio in Serbia and Correlación Contemporánea in Peru. My recent exhibitions include the Ely Center of Contemporary Art in the USA, the Czong Institute in South Korea, the Rotterdam Photo Festival in the Netherlands, Florence Contemporary Gallery in Italy, Austral Festival Internacional de Performance Art in Buenos Aires, Ars Electronica in Austria, and Bekarei Video Art Space in Berlin. My work has also been featured in BOSS Magazine (China), Al-Tiba9 (Spain), Aerogramme (USA), and LandEscape Magazine. My art practice is rooted in contemporary art, culture, and social engagement. I’ve created playful and participatory events like attempting to break the world record for the most people doing the robot dance (in Poole and West Bromwich), as well as giant Lego exhibitions and workshops across the UK. I also worked at BALTIC, Gateshead, as an Arts Facilitator, delivering a wide range of education and community arts projects.
Do you have a degree in visual or applied arts at undergraduate and/or post-graduate level? Please provide details. (200 words)
Northumbria University
MA Fine Art
Have you previously received professional grants or awards? Please give details. (200 words)
Awards and Commissions
2022
Shortlisted The Alpine Fellowship Visual Art Prize Prize, Italy
2021
Won the Mediterranean Contemporary Art Prize, President’s Award
Won the Bath Open Prize, People’s Choice Award
Finalist for the ‘Airland 4.0 | Nature, Technology, Energy’ Competition
Shortlisted for the Passpartout Photo Prize, Italy
Digital Art OBSERVATORY, Competition Winner, Ukraine/UK
Runner Up, The Alpine Fellowship Visual Art Prize, Sweden
2020
Shortlisted The Alpine Fellowship Visual Art Prize Prize, Italy
2019
Won, Artspace ‘Connection’, Digital Art Competition
NWCDTP Research Program Award, The British School at Rome, Italy
2018
Longlisted The Chaiya Art Award, UK
Hula, The University of Nottingham, Ningbo, FHSS Play Conference Commission
2011
Megablocks HQ Canada, Mega Paintings Commission
2010
Arts Council International Residency Grant, UK
2009
Cecil Sharp House Megapole Installation, London, UK
2008
Antony Gormley, The Angel of the North 10th Aniversary Commission, Baltic Gallery for Contemporary Art, Gateshead, UK
2007
Arts Council Independent Artist Grant
2006
Arts Council Independent Research Grant, Novellus Castellum
2005
Northern Film and Media, Travel Grant
2003
Arts Council International Residency Grant
2002
Arts Council Independent Artist Grant
1996
UCA (Formerly KIAD), Student Award for Painting
Northumbria University
MA Fine Art
Awards and Commissions
2022
Shortlisted The Alpine Fellowship Visual Art Prize Prize, Italy
2021
Won the Mediterranean Contemporary Art Prize, President’s Award
Won the Bath Open Prize, People’s Choice Award
Finalist for the ‘Airland 4.0 | Nature, Technology, Energy’ Competition
Shortlisted for the Passpartout Photo Prize, Italy
Digital Art OBSERVATORY, Competition Winner, Ukraine/UK
Runner Up, The Alpine Fellowship Visual Art Prize, Sweden
2020
Shortlisted The Alpine Fellowship Visual Art Prize Prize, Italy
2019
Won, Artspace ‘Connection’, Digital Art Competition
NWCDTP Research Program Award, The British School at Rome, Italy
2018
Longlisted The Chaiya Art Award, UK
Hula, The University of Nottingham, Ningbo, FHSS Play Conference Commission
2011
Megablocks HQ Canada, Mega Paintings Commission
2010
Arts Council International Residency Grant, UK
2009
Cecil Sharp House Megapole Installation, London, UK
2008
Antony Gormley, The Angel of the North 10th Aniversary Commission, Baltic Gallery for Contemporary Art, Gateshead, UK
2007
Arts Council Independent Artist Grant
2006
Arts Council Independent Research Grant, Novellus Castellum
2005
Northern Film and Media, Travel Grant
2003
Arts Council International Residency Grant
2002
Arts Council Independent Artist Grant
1996
UCA (Formerly KIAD), Student Award for Painting
In 2006/7, I was the Director of Novellus Castellum, an art organisation based in Newcastle/Gateshead, UK. I led a two-year programme of arts events and curated a large-scale exhibition space in a disused warehouse in the East End of Newcastle. This independent initiative culminated in participation at the Curatorial Biennale at Apex Arts in New York, USA, in August 2007. (www.novelluscastellum.blogspot.com)
In the same year, I also co-founded The Star and Shadow Cinema in Newcastle—now recognised as one of the UK’s leading independent cinemas and frequently written about in the national press. Beyond helping establish the venue, I curated a range of artist video anthologies, film events, and exhibitions there over five years. (www.starandshadow.org.uk)
In the UK, I’ve taught as a Lecturer at Gateshead College (www.gateshead.ac.uk), served as a Fellow at Northumbria University (www.northumbria.ac.uk), and worked as a Freelance Arts Facilitator at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art (www.baltic.art), where I delivered a wide range of community and education workshops.
Internationally, I’ve taken on key academic roles: I was Course Director for BA Fine Art at the Scientific College of Design in Oman (www.scd.edu.om) (2011–12); between 2012–14, I was Pathway Leader for Foundation Fine Art and BA Fine Art Lecturer at the British Higher School of Art and Design / Universal University in Moscow, Russia (britishdesign.ru/en).
From 2014 to 2022, I worked as a Senior Tutor for Content A (CELE) and Module Convener for the Art and Design courses at the University of Nottingham, Ningbo campus (www.nottingham.edu.cn/en). I’ve also been a Visiting Lecturer at Xiamen University in China (www.art.xmu.edu.cn), and I currently teach Art and Design at Oncampus, Winchester School of Art, UK.
In 2024, I was the artist in residence at La Maison De Barbara in Ayvalik, Turkey. Back in 2021, I took part in two digital residencies—one at The Belgrade Arts Studio in Serbia and another with Correlation Contemporary in Peru. My work was also recently shown at several international venues, including the Rotterdam Photo Festival in Holland, Florence Contemporary Gallery in Italy, Austral Festival Internacional de Performance Art de Buenos Aires in Argentina, The International Forum of Performance Art in Drama, Greece, Ars Electronica with .ART Gallery x VR-All-Art in Linz, Austria, and Boundaries at Bekarei Video Art Space in Berlin, Germany.
I’ve also been featured in various publications such as BOSS Magazine in Beijing, China; Al-Tiba9 Online Contemporary Art Magazine in Barcelona, Spain; and Aerogramme in New York, USA.
Over the years, I’ve exhibited in more than 50 group shows, including events like The Venice Biennale in Italy, The Athens Photo Festival in Greece, the Digital Long Island Media Festival in New York, USA, Lux Artist Film Festival in London, UK, and The Hay-On-Wye Festival in Wales, UK. I’ve had the privilege of exhibiting alongside an incredible range of international artists, including Alison Knowles, A-YO, Ben Voutier, Gustav Metzger, Sean Scully, Littlewhitehead, Andre Stitt, Michael Nyman, Bill Drummond, Bob and Roberta Smith, Vlad Monroe, Gabriela Fridriksdottir, Alan Kane, Matt Stokes, Matthew Cowan, Robin Klassnik, Juneau Projects, Ross Sinclair, and Antony Gormley.
In 2013/14, I exhibited at The Emily Harvey Foundation in Venice, Italy, during The Legacy of Emily Harvey, a show curated by Berty Skuber and Henry Martin as part of the 55th Venice Biennale. I also held a solo exhibition at Artplay in Moscow and showed work at FABRIKA in association with Triumph Gallery.
In 2011, I was selected by Elysium Gallery to present The Štúrovo Super Hero Society at the 54th Venice Biennale during the Bus Stop exhibition at Galleria Perela, Salizada of the Greeks.
In 2009/10, I created several custom-made installations for two of the UK’s most iconic contemporary art spaces: Poole Museum (formerly The Kube Gallery, designed by Richard Horden) and The Public Building (originally designed by Will Alsop and completed by Flannery & de la Pole architects).
MY work has appeared in many private and public collections across the world.
My work has been featured on the BBC (Billy Connolly’s World Tour) and in a variety of international newspapers, art magazines, catalogues, and radio programs. These include The New York Times (USA), The Guardian and The Times (UK), as well as Murze, Rapsodia, A5, Fefe, Digimag, Relevant, and Wave Radio in the Czech Republic.
I’ve participated in numerous international artist residency programs, including The British School at Rome in November 2019; multiple residencies at The Emily Harvey Foundation in Venice in 2010, 2014, and 2017; The Chinese European Arts Centre from June to July 2015; The Bridge Guard Residency in Štúrovo, Slovakia from October 2010 to March 2011; The Kathmandu Contemporary Art Centre Residency at the Patan Museum in Nepal, February 2012; and The Vytlacil Campus Residency with The Art Students League of New York in August 2012.
Email: james_johnson_perkins@hotmail.com
Address: 27 Furze Road, Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire, SO198PE, GB
Local Authority: Hampshire County Council
