If I were successful in receiving the £10,000 bursary, I would use the funding to develop a new site-specific project that explores the botanical, cultural, and community heritage of Darlington. Rooted in my ongoing practice — which combines wearable sculpture, performance, and film — this project would respond to the town’s landscapes, stories, and people, creating an immersive, place-based artwork that reflects and celebrates local identity.
The funding would allow me to spend meaningful time in Darlington, undertaking research and building connections with communities, local landscapes, and cultural organisations. I would design and create a new series of sculptural costumes using locally sourced materials, inspired by the botanical history of the area and personal and collective narratives. These would be activated through public performances and culminate in a film documenting the entire process and the interactions it generates.
This bursary would mark a significant step forward in my practice. It would allow me to work on a larger scale, deepen my engagement with community participation, and refine how I integrate sculpture, performance, moving images, and site-responsive storytelling. It would also provide the time and space for reflection, documentation, and expanding my audience through both local engagement and digital platforms.
Importantly, the award would provide essential financial support for materials, travel, community workshops, costume fabrication, professional documentation, and collaboration with local creatives — ensuring the project is ambitious, inclusive, and of high quality.
Through this project, I hope to foster a sense of belonging and connection — between people, the land, and each other — while continuing to evolve a practice that is both socially and environmentally engaged.
My artistic practice is driven by experimentation and a deep commitment to community engagement, place-based storytelling, and the convergence of wearable sculpture, performance, and film. The Dover Prize’s emphasis on creative risk-taking and interdisciplinary exploration aligns strongly with my approach — where art becomes a way to reflect on the relationships between people, places, and the natural world.
Being awarded the Dover Prize would give me the space and support to push the boundaries of my work both conceptually and materially. I’m excited by the opportunity to take creative risks: to work in new contexts, develop fresh methods of engagement, and create powerful, site-responsive work shaped by Darlington’s communities — where they live, work, and spend time.
I would welcome the challenge of working at a larger scale and in a new setting, using this opportunity as a catalyst to grow my practice in bold and meaningful directions. Becoming part of a vibrant artistic network, gaining mentorship, and connecting with new audiences through public platforms would be invaluable at this stage of my career. It would enable me to reflect, deepen my ideas, and continue building a socially and environmentally engaged practice that resonates locally, nationally, and beyond.
Light’s practice moves between sculpture, performance, and moving images, focusing on the intricate relationship between humans and the natural world. Her ongoing exploration of belonging and discovering her place in the world leads her to recognize that we are an integral part of nature. Through her work, she explores how human existence is deeply intertwined with nature, examining how we both shape and are shaped by our environment. This idea of unity with the natural world is central to her work.
Audiences are invited to witness the human seamlessly merging with the natural world, creating a collective ‘we-world’ that transcends societal divisions and offers an inclusive space where everyone feels a sense of belonging. By freeing herself from societal norms, Light delves into the essence of humanity and our place in the universe.
Nature serves as an abundant source of inspiration for Light, driving her to envision a future where we harmonize with the natural world. She aims to inspire others to coexist with nature and work towards a brighter future. Through her art, Light sparks conversations about our relationship with nature, the essence of identity, and the accessibility of art to all.
Light’s live performances in public places aim to integrate art into everyday life, providing access for ordinary people and passersby who may otherwise be unable to experience the arts due to financial or other barriers that prevent them from visiting galleries. Olana Light is a multidisciplinary artist based in Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK. She has an MA from Goldsmiths (2020) and a BA from Southampton Solent University (2017). Recent awards include the Bute Festival Thameslink Award (2024), Every Breathe We Take Award (2024), Arts Council England DYCP (2024), CAS Emerging Sculptors Award (2023), Southampton City Gallery Billboard Commission (2023); Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grant (2022 and 2021); Blue Sky Ideas Art&Heritage Award (2022) and many more.
2017 – 2020 MFA Fine Art, Goldsmiths University of London;
2014 – 2017 BA First Class Honours Degree in Fine Art, Southampton Solent University;
2013 – 2014 Art and Design BTEC Diploma Level 3, Portsmouth Highbury College;
2024: ArtCabbage Prize, 1st Place, Performing Art Section;
2024: Bute Street Festival, Thameslink Art Award winner;
2024: Every Breath We Take Art Competition winner in Open Category;
2024: Arts Council England: Developing Your Creative Practice Grant;
Searching for a Place to Belong, 2020 – an ongoing photography project ( https://www.olanalight.com/project-searching-for-a-place-to-belong )
The Birch Tree Family – series of wearable sculpture live performances in public spaces
2025, Tunnel Artist Commission, Portsmouth City Council
2023, Arts&Heritage Digital Winter Commission, supported by English Heritage
2023, Found Cities, Lost Objects: Women in the City Billboard Commission, curated by Lubaina Himid, partnership between Arts Council Collection, Southampton City Gallery and ‘a space’ arts
2022, Arts Council England Project Grant, Fly Like a Butterfly
2021, Arts Council England Project Grant, Search to Belong
2024: Permaculture No.121 Autumn;
2021: Artist Close Up, interview; . 2021: Exit, Ludvig Rage Book, London;
2021: Corona Art, Ludvig Rage Book, London;
2020: Chalton Gallery, Inside Artist Issue 17;
2020: Sacred Vestments: Internal Roles. The crush of bodies at Chalton Gallery, Trebuchet;
2020: Transformation: Everything Flows, ArtConnect Magazine;
2024: Art in the Landscape – Nature Calling Artist Residency, 101 Creation Space, Newbury;
2024: Botanical Residency, Hugo Burge Foundation, Scotland;
2023/2024: La Vista Residency, Tenerife;
2022: ecoSuites art Residency, Tristinika Beach, Greece; 2019: School of Art, Design, and Fashion, Southampton Solent University; 2018: Look Up Residency, Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth; . 2018: Platform Graduate Award Alumni Residency, Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth;
Email: olanalightart@gmail.com
Address: 77 Soberton Road, Havant, Hampshire, PO9 2EB, GB
Local Authority: Hampshire Council
