Receiving The Dover Prize would allow me to realise a new body of work that has been growing inside me for some time — a project that explores the tension and dialogue between leather and metal. These materials carry histories of protection, power, craft, and endurance, and through them, I want to explore ideas of resilience, vulnerability, and transformation.
The £10,000 bursary would be life-changing for this project. It would support the research, sourcing of materials, development of new making techniques, and the production of a series of sculptures that push my practice beyond its current limits. It would also allow me to work with specialist fabricators and craftspeople, deepening the conversation between traditional handcraft and contemporary sculpture — something I have long dreamed of doing but never had the resources to fully pursue.
More than anything, this award would give me the freedom to take real creative risks — to spend time experimenting, failing, rethinking, and ultimately arriving at something truer and more unexpected. It would help me move from working within limitations to working from a place of true possibility.
During the residency, I am excited about not only developing my own work but also sharing the journey. I would love to offer workshops or talks about materiality, tradition, and transformation — opening up conversations with the local community and learning from them in turn.
The Dover Prize would not simply fund a project. It would mark a deep shift in my practice: a movement into a bolder, more courageous phase of my work as an artist. I am ready to take this step, and I would be honoured for this journey to be made with the support of the Dover Prize.
I believe that my work, which combines traditional craftsmanship with contemporary sculptural practice, can contribute to Darlington’s growing creative energy by offering new ways of thinking about materials, history, and transformation. Through my exploration of leather and metal — materials that are both ancient and forward-looking — I hope to create work that resonates with the industrial and craft heritage of the region, while speaking to contemporary concerns about resilience, identity, and change.
During my time in Darlington, I would actively seek to connect with the local community through workshops, artist talks, and open studios, sharing both my process and my passion for material exploration. I believe that by inviting people into the making journey — not just the finished artwork — I can help foster deeper engagement with the creative arts and inspire others to see art as a living, evolving conversation.
My goal would be not just to create new work, but to leave a lasting imprint: new collaborations, new dialogues, and a strengthened sense that Darlington is a place where ambitious, forward-thinking art can grow.
My artistic practice explores materiality, transformation, and the tensions between tradition and innovation. I work primarily with leather and metal — materials that embody resilience, history, and physical memory. Through a combination of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary sculptural processes, I create works that investigate the fragile boundaries between strength and vulnerability, permanence and change. In 2024, I presented my solo exhibition “Carnyx” at The Koppel Project in London. The exhibition explored the aesthetics of cars, technology, and masculinity, using hybrid structures of leather and metal to examine how objects associated with power and protection can be deconstructed and reimagined in contemporary sculpture. In 2025, I will present new work in the duo exhibition “Request a Lambo” at Plicnik Space Initiative, collaborating to create an immersive environment that challenges perceptions of materiality, aspiration, and speed. Also in 2025, I am curating the group exhibition “IAMB” at Unit 1 Gallery & Workshop, bringing together emerging artists whose practices explore transformation, material culture, and evolving identities. Curating has become an important extension of my practice, allowing me to foster dialogues across disciplines and create new platforms for exchange. Each of these experiences has reinforced my commitment to pushing the conceptual and physical boundaries of sculpture. I am particularly interested in reimagining traditional materials — leather, metal, wood — to tell new stories that resonate with contemporary complexities. The Dover Prize would enable me to deepen my technical research, expand the scale and ambition of my work, and engage meaningfully with new audiences in Darlington . It would mark an important step in the evolution of my artistic practice.
I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Visual and Applied Arts at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) in Greece. During my studies, I developed a strong foundation in sculpture, installation, and interdisciplinary practices, with an emphasis on material experimentation and conceptual development.
Following my undergraduate degree, I was awarded an Erasmus scholarship and undertook an exchange program at Université de Picardie Jules Verne (UPJV) in France, where I expanded my research into European contemporary art practices.
I then pursued and completed my Master’s degree (MA) in Sculpture at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London. My time at the RCA was a crucial stage in my artistic development, allowing me to deepen both the technical and theoretical aspects of my practice, while also exhibiting in a range of public and independent spaces across London.
These academic experiences have provided a rigorous and diverse foundation for my ongoing career as a practicing artist, helping me to build a critically engaged and materially rich body of work.
I have not yet received a major professional grant, but I have been fortunate to receive important recognition for my work.
I was shortlisted for the D. Contemporary Art Award in London, which celebrates innovation in contemporary practices. Additionally, I reached the second round (top 20 artists) of the highly competitive Mark Tanner Sculpture Prize, one of the most prestigious awards for sculptors in the UK.
Earlier in my career, I received an Erasmus scholarship to study at Université de Picardie Jules Verne (UPJV) in France during my undergraduate degree. This opportunity expanded my artistic education and international perspective.
These achievements have strengthened my professional development and motivated me to continue pushing the conceptual and material boundaries of my practice.
Receiving The Dover Prize would represent an important next step, enabling me to develop a more ambitious body of work and engage meaningfully with new audiences in Darlington .
I have not yet been formally commissioned by a public institution as an independent artist. However, during my BA in Visual and Applied Arts at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, I worked closely with my professor as the main assistant on the creation of a large-scale outdoor public sculpture. This experience allowed me to participate directly in the conceptual development, material preparation, and installation of a major public artwork, deepening my understanding of working in public space and responding to site-specific challenges.
Beyond that, I have exhibited in public and institutional contexts, including The Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret and St. Thomas’ Hospital in London, where my work engaged with ideas of history, memory, and the body in spaces open to a wide public audience.
Although I have not yet completed a solo public commission, I am eager to build on these experiences. Receiving The Dover Prize would offer the ideal opportunity to create ambitious, site-responsive work and to further my engagement with the public realm through sculpture.
My work has been featured on several curated online platforms and art publications. Recently, my practice was highlighted on Fakewhale.xyz, an international contemporary art blog showcasing emerging and experimental artists. My work also appeared in Grass Magazine, a platform focusing on new voices in art, and on the Sunend website, where selected exhibitions and artists are profiled through curated editorial content.
Additionally, my exhibitions, including “Carnyx” at The Koppel Project, “Request a Lambo” at Plicnik Space Initiative, and “IAMB” at Unit 3 Gallery & Workshop, have been promoted through gallery channels and associated networks, reaching broader audiences through curated listings and newsletters.
Email: t.papandreopoylos@network.rca.ac.uk
Address: 10 Sunbeam Crescent, london, Select, W10 5DW, GB
