My next project centres on classic British nostalgia and the iconic setting of the seaside. Having grown up on the coast, my life has always been shaped by visits to the beach, no matter the weather. From days spent camping along the shoreline, with my cousin catching crabs and making artificial rock pools in his bucket, to the moment he accidentally dunked his malted milk biscuit in with the crabs instead of his tea (a moment which also revealed the crabs’ surprising fondness for biscuits), these memories have remained vivid and influential.
Even winter visits hold significance, when my mum would insist on her morning swim, claiming the health benefits outweighed the discomfort of the freezing water. I never joined her, but watching from the sidelines became a cherished ritual.
There is a unique atmosphere to the seaside that extends beyond the sea air. It is more than just nature’s beauty; it is the sense of joy, indulgence, and spectacle. When I think of the British coast, I think of fish and chips soaked in vinegar, sugar-ring doughnuts handed over in paper bags with crinkled edges, and candy floss clinging to sticky fingers. I think of arcades with flashing lights and carpets embedded with sand, of souvenir shops selling net bags of shells and last-minute beach towels.
This atmosphere forms the foundation of my next project: an immersive installation that captures the collective love for the seaside in all its sensory and emotional richness. Receiving the £10,000 bursary would be instrumental in bringing this vision to life. It would allow me to purchase essential materials, hire technicians, and access fabrication support that I am otherwise unable to manage independently. I have left-side Cerebral Palsy, which significantly limits my physical ability to construct large-scale works or handle heavy materials. This funding would help make the project accessible and achievable, enabling me to maintain momentum in my artistic practice post-university and continue developing ambitious, inclusive work rooted in lived experience and cultural memory.
My work is rooted in engagement and experience, connecting local communities and initiating conversations through immersive installations. I believe the creative arts have the power to bring people together, encourage dialogue, and highlight shared memories and cultural identity. By drawing on familiar themes such as British seaside nostalgia, my work speaks to a wide audience and invites reflection, play, and connection.
If awarded the Dover Prize, I would use this opportunity to collaborate with local residents in Darlington, gathering stories, memories, and perspectives that could inform the development of a new site-specific installation. In doing so, the project would not only offer an artistic experience but also actively involve the community in its creation. This approach ensures that the work resonates with those who engage with it and helps to foster a sense of ownership and pride in the local arts scene.
Bringing large-scale, accessible, and emotionally resonant installations to Darlington has the potential to draw attention from outside the region, raising the profile of the town as a destination for ambitious and inclusive contemporary art. I am committed to creating work that feels both locally meaningful and culturally significant.
Milly Aburrow (b. 2001, Chichester, UK) is a 2023 graduate of Bath Spa University with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art. Her work employs a bold, playful stylisation with vibrant colours and exaggerated forms, transforming familiar everyday objects into humorous yet thought-provoking sculptures and installations. Inspired by food culture, consumerism, and personal experience, Aburrow creates uncanny simulations inspired by everyday experiences. She seeks to foster a sense of community, inviting audiences to engage with the artwork and immerse themselves in a space that evokes personal memories and reflections while gaining insight into the artist’s own life.
Her installations allow her to revisit lived experiences and reclaim agency as a creative practitioner. By stepping into a fictionalised service industry role blurring the boundaries between reality and performance, Aburrow explores the limitations and inaccessibility of certain professions within her personal life as a disabled artist, using these playful yet critical simulations to challenge societal perceptions and reimagine alternative narratives, and question the structures that dictate who is permitted to occupy specific roles in both artistic and professional spaces.
Yes, BA (Hons) in Fine Art from Bath Spa University
Yes I have:
Kenneth Armitage Young Sculptor Award, 2023 (for my degree show work ‘Fill Me In’) £3,000
Artsin Square Grant, 2023 (helped pay for materials for new show) £300
Curatorspace Bursary, 2025 (helped fund the finishing elements of my last installation ‘The Salty Crisp’) £500
Eaton Fund, 2025 (will be funding lessons to help me learn/assist the art of stained glass fabrication) £300
Yes, I’ve co-curated community based exhibitions, ‘Potluck’ and ‘In Your Dreams’ and I’ve just co-found ‘Chip In’, a support platform for emerging artists, offering advice from professionals, open call promotions, and artist spotlights. We foster a community where artists learn from and support each other through online and in-person events. We propose a curated group exhibition on Community, Emerging Artists, and the Future of the Arts, supporting early-career artists with fair pay, networking, and exposure to strengthen the local arts ecosystem.
Unfortunately not, only private comissions
Unfortunately not, only private collections
Yes! Here are the links:
http://open.spotify.com/episode/3ZRGSbYmqPRyecLsVbse5l?si=wSk8kUXyT7SrU6qxRDYm6g&t=505&context=spotifyshow7am1hQDzDvWpmIKtJX5mfp
https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/milly-aburrow-one-year/
https://bricksmagazine.co.uk/2024/03/20/meet-hystericals-next-gen-of-creatives-celebrating-art-as-activism/
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6fuuUvEko0LHctZLVvNWbh?si=7t6iVLZESZu0KR-iwvnO0A
https://www.frankie.com.au/gallery/milly-aburrow-crafts-playful-sangas-598843
https://artsinsquare.com/grant-winners/milly-aburrow
44AD artspace graduate residency, Bath, 2023-2025
Creative Youth Network Residency, Bristol, October – December 2024
Email: millyaburrow@outlook.com
Address: 12 Walcot Parade, First Floor (Flat 2), Bath, Somerset, BA15NF, GB
Local Authority: Bath and North East Somerset
