If I’m awarded The Dover Prize, I will develop “Darlington Lines”, a new experimental series exploring the emotional context behind, movement and labour. Rooted in Darlington’s legacy as the birthplace of the passenger railway, the project will reflect on stories around the industrious nature of the local area at the time. I would also like to explore the anglo-saxon origins and viking influence of Darlington.
The bursary would support:
Research into Darlington’s railway and industrial heritage
Collaborative workshops with local communities and those with direct connection with the railway and industrial heritage.
Travel to train museums and post-industrial towns to gather inspiration
Materials for creating large, mixed-media works including painting, found-object sculpture, and sound installation
Development of a final immersive exhibition in Darlington that blends history, storytelling, and experimental mark-making
As a neurodivergent artist of Zimbabwean heritage, my work draws on lived experience, especially themes of identity, resilience and visibility. “Darlington Lines” will be a different approach. The support from The Dover Prize would allow me to reflect, experiment and grow my practice beyond what’s possible in short-term projects. I want to test new approaches, blending local history, visual art, and archive work to create something emotionally raw, relevant, and grounded in the local community.
Darlington’s identity is rooted in movement, railways, industry, and the working-class. My project “Darlington Lines” will draw from that legacy to create a bold and emotionally charged body of work that connects the town’s past to present-day stories of the industrial revolution.
Through mixed-media artworks and a final immersive exhibition in Darlington, I aim to spotlight untold narratives, those of railway workers who often remained unseen but kept communities running. By engaging with local people and archives, I want to create work that feels deeply connected to Darlington past, not just inspired by it.
This project will raise the profile of the creative arts in the area by offering something both experimental and accessible, art that invites conversation, reflection, and pride. It will bring new audiences into the fold and position Darlington as a place where contemporary art doesn’t just visit but grows from the ground up. With “Darlington Lines”, I want to help Darlington be seen not only as the home of the railways, but as a home for bold ideas and creative reinvention.
My practice is rooted in emotion, lived experience, and a deep belief in the power of storytelling. I’m a neurodivergent artist originally from Zimbabwe and now based in Lincoln. My work explores resilience, identity, and mental health, often through large, expressive portraits and abstract mark-making that reflects both personal and collective struggle. I tend to work systemically but in a somewhat spontaneous manner, allowing the process to shape the outcome. Whether I’m painting, or sculpting, I’m always chasing something raw and honest. My recent work has become more research-based, often starting with a question or a community story, and evolving into something visual, tactile, and bold. In April 2025, I presented my second solo exhibition “Community Resilience” at Lincoln Arts Centre Gallery, supported by Arts Council England. The show was built around themes of neurodiversity and community strength. It included large-scale paintings and a sculpture, the show invited visitors to reflect on their own experiences of vulnerability and recovery. Alongside this, I’ve been developing Ethnic Icons, a long-term project that honours overlooked figures from the global majority who’ve challenged systems of marginalisation. This work merges expressive portraiture with archival research and will be a major focus over the next few years. I’ve also participated in group shows including For the Love of Colour (2024, Carre Gallery) and exhibited at Gallery at St Martins (March 2025). I’m currently Artist-in-Residence for Bishop Grosseteste University’s Black History Month 2025 programme and was recently named a finalist for the We Are Creative Awards in the Best Emerging Talent category.
I am currently in my second year of studying for a BA (Hons) in Conservation of Cultural Heritage at the University of Lincoln. While my degree is rooted in heritage and preservation rather than traditional fine art, it has given me a unique perspective on materials, visual culture, and the long-term value of creative work.
As part of my studies, I recently completed a placement at the University of Nottingham’s Manuscripts and Special Collections department. During this placement, I worked closely with the Maurice William Partridge collection, which includes a significant body of watercolour artworks, personal correspondence, and ephemera. This hands-on experience deepened my understanding of historical art practices and the care needed to preserve artistic legacies.
Although I do not hold a degree specifically in visual or applied arts, my academic and practical training has informed my own artistic practice in meaningful ways. I approach my work with an awareness of materials, context, and conservation, which adds depth to both the making and presentation of my art.
Yes, I have received professional grants and recognition that have supported the development of my artistic practice.
In late 2024, I was awarded funding through Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants scheme to produce my solo exhibition, Community Resilience, which took place in April 2025 at the Lincoln Arts Centre Gallery at the University of Lincoln. The exhibition explored themes of neurodiversity, community resilience, and lived experience through large-scale paintings and sculpture. This grant enabled me to realise the project in full, including materials, access support, and public engagement.
In addition, I was selected for the Lincoln Arts Centre’s Innovate Artist programme, which provided both financial support and professional development mentoring. This opportunity allowed me to build confidence in project management and long-term artistic planning.
I’ve also been awarded several bursaries from the University of Lincoln in support of my artistic practice.
Together, these grants and awards have helped me grow from an emerging artist into someone ready to take on more ambitious and experimental projects, such as the one I hope to develop through The Dover Prize.
Yes, I’m actively involved in creating my own professional opportunities, particularly through community-led and artist-driven projects that reflect my values around neurodiversity, inclusion, and resilience.
In 2025, I launched Community Resilience, my second solo exhibition at Lincoln Arts Centre Gallery, which I developed, co-curated, and managed with support from Arts Council England. I led on all aspects of the project, from concept development and outreach to installation and public engagement, collaborating with local organisations to make it a genuinely inclusive experience.
Yes, I was commissioned by Lincoln Arts Centre, which operates as part of the University of Lincoln, to deliver my solo exhibition Community Resilience in April 2025. This opportunity formed part of their Innovate Artist Scheme, a programme designed to support emerging talent and foster bold, socially engaged work within the public sphere.
As part of the commission, I developed a new body of work exploring neurodiversity, mental health, and collective strength. I led on all aspects of the exhibition, from concept development and outreach to installation and public engagement. The show was fully open to the public, and the private view was attended by over 110 guests.
Although the Innovate Artist Scheme was also supported by Arts Council England, the commission itself was issued directly through Lincoln Arts Centre, making the University of Lincoln my commissioning institution.
This experience strengthened my ability to work professionally with public partners, manage timelines and budgets, and ensure that creative work can have both personal and community impact. It has laid a strong foundation for future commissioned work within public institutions, and I’m excited to build on that with more ambitious projects.
At this stage in my career, my artwork has not yet been acquired by a public collection. However, I view this as a future goal and am actively working towards creating work that speaks to both public relevance and long-term cultural value.
My recent solo exhibition Resilience at Lincoln Arts Centre, commissioned as part of their Innovate Artist Scheme and supported by Arts Council England, was an important step in this direction. The exhibition explored neurodiversity, community strength, and emotional resilience through large-scale paintings and sculptures. It received strong feedback from audiences and arts professionals alike, and several conversations have since begun around future acquisitions and institutional interest.
No, my artwork has not yet been reviewed or featured. However, this is something I’m actively working towards as my practice develops and reaches wider audiences.
With recent projects like my solo exhibition Community Resilience at Lincoln Arts Centre and upcoming residencies, I’m beginning to build relationships with curators, writers, and arts organisations. I see The Dover Prize as an opportunity not only to deepen my work but also to expand its visibility and invite critical engagement through new networks and platforms.
I am not currently represented by a gallery. My practice to date has been largely self-directed and independently produced, with a focus on building a strong foundation through public commissions, funded projects, and community-led initiatives.
That said, I’ve developed a growing relationship with several public and artist-led spaces, including Lincoln Arts Centre, where I was commissioned to deliver my solo exhibition Community Resilience in April 2025. The show, supported by Arts Council England, allowed me to work at scale, experiment across mediums, and engage deeply with community partners. It also marked a shift in the visibility of my work and has opened the door to wider professional opportunities, including residencies and future group shows.
I’ve also exhibited in independent galleries such as Carre Gallery in Sleaford and the Gallery at St Martins in Lincoln. These experiences have helped me understand the responsibilities and potential of gallery partnerships, and I am now at a stage in my career where I would welcome representation that aligns with my values around experimentation, inclusion, and storytelling.
Yes, I have been selected for an upcoming artist residency with Bishop Grosseteste University as part of their Black History Month 2025 programme. This residency will involve producing new work that responds to the university’s themes around identity, history, and cultural resilience. As part of the placement, I’ll also deliver talks and workshops engaging students and staff in dialogue around art, storytelling, and lived experience.
This opportunity will allow me to develop site-responsive work in an academic setting while exploring new methods of collaboration and public engagement. It marks an important step in my practice, offering the space, time, and institutional support to deepen my research and refine my creative voice within a public-facing context.
https://www.bgu.ac.uk/community-resilience-exhibition
Email: chipawetinashe@gmail.com
Address: Apartment 4, 12 Sheridan Close, Lincoln, LN2 4JX, GB
Local Authority: Lincoln City Council
