Valeria Sykes has supported New Light since the charity was founded in 2010. New Light would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to Valeria, whose dedication and contributions have played a vital role in establishing New Light as the leading supporter of artistic talent in the North.
New Light is urgently seeking new financial support to enable it to continue
After 15 years as the charity’s patron, Valeria Sykes is stepping down, and New Light is seeking a new funding partner. New Light is run by a small dedicated team who are passionate about visual arts in the North and relies entirely on donations and sponsorship for funding.
At this time of financial uncertainty, the charity is needed more than ever. Sadly without financial support the charity faces closure by the end of this year.
“Our exhibitions and events are well-established in the Northern art calendar. We are confident that with the right patron, sponsorship and funding, there is an exciting future for both the charity and Northern Art.” Rebekah Tadd, CEO
The benefits of getting involved…
Our patrons and sponsors benefit from fantastic exposure in local, regional and national press. Exclusive Private Views are incredible opportunities to host client facing events in the prestigious locations that we use for our exhibitions – among others these have included The Bowes Museum, Sunny Bank Mills 1912 Mill in Leeds (famed as the location for the BBC’s The Great British Sewing Bee), The Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate; London’s Bankside Gallery and The Williamson Museum and Art Gallery, Wirral.
The 2023/4 New Light Prize Exhibition featured 121 artists and toured to four northern counties and to London, bringing the exhibition to more than 66,000 visitors.
This year New Light held its first Summer Exhibition of the North in Leeds, extending the cultural focus on the North as nearby Bradford celebrated its status as City of Culture and hosted the Turner Prize.
You will be investing in the future of talented artists in the region and enabling us to fund bursaries, hold exhibitions to showcase northern talent, find new audiences, support community and school art curriculums and enhance wellbeing through access to art and creative pursuits.
Supporting education and well-being through the Art for All Programme
New Light’s Art for All programme during the 2023/4 Prize Exhibition ran multiple community events, an artist made film and sketching workshop in Rheged’s IMAX Cinema; artist led drawing workshops for 90 primary school children, career development days for sixth form students ; art history tours and hands on workshops.
Sunny Bank Mills hosted drop in clay workshops, stone carving workshops, weaving demonstration and hands on workshops, portraiture in charcoal and sandpaper workshops and a portraiture in clay workshop.
