This £10,000 bursary will be pivotal in propelling my painting practice to its next phase. It will enable the production of a bold new body of work that brings together my research into Brechtian theatre—specifically the Distancing Effect and the strategy of Making the Familiar Strange—with queer feminist, figurative painting. I am developing a methodology that repositions narrative painting as an active, critical space rather than one of passive consumption. To my knowledge, this approach has never been applied in contemporary painting in this way—and this funding will give me the time, space, and resources to fully realise it.
The award will directly support the creation of Bathers Bathing—my most ambitious and materially resolved series to date. These paintings will range in scale and format, from cropped vignettes to large narrative works. The project critically reimagines the bather motif, interrogating its Eurocentric, voyeuristic history. It asks: What would bathers do all day if they weren’t being watched?—a deliberately paradoxical question that highlights the inescapability of the gaze, even in supposedly private spaces.
Through these works, I will explore themes of societal control, masking, body politics, and feminist resistance. Drawing on Barbara Creed’s monstrous feminine, Sara Ahmed’s writing on self-care and queer refusal, and Kopelson’s concept of excess as feminist resistance, I will depict disobedient, excessive bodies that defy beauty standards. Merging classical iconography with marine imagery, the work links the capitalist exploitation of women’s bodies with that of marine life—figures as spectacle, like fish in a tank.
This bursary will provide the conditions to develop a coherent, conceptually robust series that consolidates years of research and experimentation. It will significantly strengthen my position to reapproach institutional and gallery networks. My goal is to secure my first institutional solo show and gallery representation by 2026. Recent feedback from The Lowry, Hannah Barry and Carl Freedman galleries confirmed the potential of my work—but also highlighted the need for a more developed body. This opportunity will give me the platform to produce exactly that: a distinctive, urgent, and ambitious series that takes my practice to the next level.
As a Teesside-born artist with an internationally recognised practice, I see the Dover Prize as a unique opportunity to return to the North East and make a meaningful contribution to Darlington’s creative future. I would use this platform to develop my most ambitious work to date, while actively raising the profile of the region through visibility, collaboration and community engagement.
My practice is gaining strong national and international momentum. I hold an MA in Painting from the Royal College of Art, supported by the Basil H. Alkazzi Scholarship. I am represented by Brooke Benington, with recent solo exhibitions in London, Margate, Manchester and Seoul, and I have exhibited in Milan, Tokyo and across the UK. I was longlisted for the 2026 John Moores Painting Prize and named “one to watch” by Castlefield Gallery in 2024. My growing critical recognition includes a public conversation with Louisa Buck, a contextual essay by Dr Jenny Eden, and an upcoming text on my work in collaboration with editor and publisher Matt Price (Anomie).
As a Lecturer in Painting with extensive experience in mentoring, curating and artist-led initiatives, I will bring this expertise into schools, community spaces and artist-led networks. My practice actively subverts and decolonises art history through a queer feminist lens, and I am committed to sharing these ideas through inclusive public engagement that positions Darlington as a vibrant, forward-thinking centre for contemporary art.
I am a visual artist specialising in painting, with a focus on narrative work informed by queer and feminist perspectives. My recent solo exhibitions include Fantasy Girls (2024) at Liminal Gallery, Margate; They Only Want You When You’re Seventeen (2024) at LKIF, Seoul; At Least Buy Me Dinner First (2023) at Brooke Benington, London; and Fight The Moon (2022) at Paradise Works, Manchester. In 2025, I was awarded the Arts Council England Developing Your Creative Practice grant and longlisted for the prestigious 2026 John Moores Painting Prize. Upcoming exhibitions include Any, Body, Place at Warrington Museum and participation in the MEGA Art Fair, Milan. I was honoured to be selected for 40 Years of the Future: Painting at Castlefield Gallery (2024), where I was recognised as an “Emerging Artist to Watch,” and shortlisted for The Hari International Art Prize as well as the BEEP Painting Biennial. My recent group exhibitions have taken place in major cultural centres including Tokyo, London, Preston, and Milan. My work has attracted growing critical attention, highlighted by a public conversation with esteemed critic Louisa Buck, a contextual essay by Dr Jenny Eden, and an upcoming essay in collaboration with editor and publisher Matt Price (Anomie).
I hold a Master of Arts in Painting from the prestigious Royal College of Art, London (2021–2023), where I was awarded the highly competitive Basil H. Alkazzi Scholarship Award—a full tuition fee scholarship accompanied by an annual stipend of £10,000. This merit-based award recognised my academic excellence and was instrumental in enabling me to pursue my postgraduate studies. My MA dissertation was awarded a Distinction, underscoring my dedication to rigorous research and artistic excellence. Prior to this, I graduated with First Class Honours in Fine Art (BA Hons) from Manchester School of Art, Manchester Metropolitan University in 2018—a programme widely respected for its emphasis on critical thinking and robust studio practice. My formal art education began with a Foundation Diploma in Art & Design from The Northern School of Art, Middlesbrough, completed in 2015, which laid the essential groundwork for my subsequent academic and professional achievements.
Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to receive a number of prestigious awards and grants that have both supported and validated my artistic practice. In 2024, I was shortlisted for the Hari International Art Prize and longlisted for the Beep Painting Biennial, as well as recognised as an Emerging Artist to Watch in Castlefield Gallery’s 40 Years of the Future: Painting exhibition. During my MA at the Royal College of Art, I was awarded the Basil H. Alkazzi Scholarship Award (2021), alongside The Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust Grant and an Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grant in the same year. I also secured a micro-commission from The University of Salford for an online project.
Earlier, in 2020, I received the Developing Your Creative Practice grant from Arts Council England, benefiting from mentorship by renowned artists Lindsey Mendick and Paloma Proudfoot, and was awarded the Essential School of Painting Artist Scholarship in London. Additionally, I was granted the A-N Time, Space, Money bursary. My work has been acknowledged through nominations such as the Jerwood Collaborate (2019), alongside multiple awards including The Biscuit Factory Foundation Open Contemporary Young Artist Award (2018) and the Castlefield Gallery Mentee Award (2018). These accolades have been instrumental in facilitating the development and presentation of my work.
I have actively engaged in artist-led initiatives as a means of fostering community, collaboration, and critical discourse within contemporary art. From 2018 to 2019, I founded and managed Bunker Gallery in Manchester, an artist-led gallery space dedicated to experimental and emerging art practices. This role involved curatorial planning, event coordination, and developing a platform that supported peer artists and enhanced public engagement.
Currently, I am an integral member of the artist direction group at Paradise Works, a combined studio and gallery organisation. In this capacity, I contribute strategically to the organisation and programming of exhibitions, studio management, and community-building activities. Recently, I curated Paradise Works’ presentation at the Manchester Contemporary Art booth, and I am currently collaborating with Chester Tenneson on a painting exhibition in Manchester celebrating queer visual arts practice.
Yes, I have successfully secured commissions from several respected public institutions, underscoring the recognition and demand for my artistic practice. I have received Arts Council England Developing Your Creative Practice (DYCP) funding once, as well as Project Grants on two occasions, supporting the development of commissioned works. In 2021, I was commissioned by The University of Salford for their Spring/Summer Micro-Commission, creating work for digital exhibition platforms. That same year, I was commissioned by MediaCityUK to develop a site-specific project, Box on the Docks, engaging with its unique cultural and industrial context.
Castlefield Gallery in Manchester has commissioned me for exhibitions twice; I was also invited to deliver a keynote speech at a VIP opening event, reflecting their confidence in my professional and communicative abilities. Currently, I am engaged in a commission for Warrington Museum & Art Gallery for an upcoming exhibition, demonstrating ongoing institutional support for my work. Additionally, I have been commissioned twice by Paradise Works, a dynamic artist-led studio and gallery space, to contribute to their exhibition programming.
These commissions have enabled me to explore diverse themes and contexts, extending the reach and impact of my work within public cultural frameworks.
My work is held in the collections of the University of Salford and Salford Museum and Art Gallery—an important regional institution recognised for its commitment to contemporary art and community engagement. Beyond public collections, my work is also represented in numerous private collections, including the prestigious Soho House Collection, known for its discerning selection of contemporary artworks across its global locations. The inclusion of my work in such a respected collection highlights its resonance with influential cultural audiences. Collectors of my work range from private individuals to corporate entities, underscoring the versatility and broad appeal of my practice. These acquisitions have significantly expanded the visibility of my work and continue to support opportunities for public engagement, critical dialogue, and scholarly research.
My work has had significant critical recognition through reviews, interviews, and public discourse across a range of respected national and international platforms. In 2025, I was profiled in Amici.Art as part of their “5 Questions With…” series, offering an in-depth look into my practice and conceptual concerns. The previous year saw widespread coverage, including reviews in Corridor8 by Francesca Brooks and Asiimov Baker, a shortlist interview for The Hari Art Prize, and features in MEER and The Margate Mercury. My work was also selected for Artsy’s Curators’ Picks, and a short film was produced in conjunction with my solo exhibition They Only Want You When You’re Seventeen.
My participation in Castlefield Gallery: 40 Years of the Future was accompanied by press coverage in Oxford Road Corridor and Creative Tourist, further amplifying the visibility of my work. In 2023, my exhibitions were included in FAD Magazine’s “Top 5 Shows to See,” and I took part in a public in-conversation event with esteemed critic and former Turner Prize jurist Louisa Buck.
These engagements have meaningfully expanded the critical and public dialogue surrounding my practice, solidifying my presence within contemporary painting discourse and contributing to the ongoing visibility of my work across a range of cultural contexts.
I am represented by Brooke Benington, a respected contemporary art gallery based in London. This representation has been instrumental in the progression of my career, offering professional exhibition opportunities, curatorial support, and access to an established network of collectors, curators, and critics.
In 2021, I was selected for the Zabludowicz Collection Master Class—an intensive development programme that paired me with esteemed mentors including Doug Fishbone, Sir Isaac Julien, Emma Talbot, Ryan Gander, and Julia Scher. This opportunity provided invaluable mentorship, critical feedback, and professional networking, significantly enriching my practice.
In 2019, I participated in the Artists’ International Delegation to Denmark, which included residencies in Copenhagen and Aarhus. This initiative, supported by a-n The Artists Information Company and Castlefield Gallery, offered vital international exposure and fostered cross-cultural dialogue within contemporary visual arts practice.
Email: katietomlinson100@gmail.com
Address: Paradise Works, Irwell House, East Philip Street, Salford, Greater Manchester, M3 7LE, GB
Local Authority: Salford City Council
