Meet the Nine Rising Stars Lighting Up Cheltenham's Art Scene

Nine emerging artists from Gloucestershire have been selected to participate in a year-long residency at The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum in Cheltenham. This opportunity, called the We Are Creators programme, is designed to help artists at the start of their careers by giving them access to studio space, mentoring, and public events. The programme aims to support these artists as they develop their skills and build their careers in the art world.

The artists will benefit from regular mentoring sessions, talks, and workshops, all intended to help them grow as creators. Oliver Tipper, who is the creative communities producer at The Wilson, expressed his excitement about the new group, saying that the quality of artists joining this year is outstanding. He believes that the addition of structured mentoring for each artist will make the programme even stronger. The organisers are eager to see how this supportive environment will help the artists improve their work and contribute to the wider cultural community in Gloucestershire.

The We Are Creators programme is funded by a National Lottery Project Grant from Arts Council England. Since its launch, the programme has supported 24 residencies and organised five exhibitions. The artists chosen for the 2026 group are Albert Chung, a contemporary ink painter; Jennifer Susan Hughes, who creates multimedia installations; Alice Biggadike, a surrealist painter and costume designer; Katy Mary, an interdisciplinary artist; Eddie Langham, a performance artist; Atul Bhunkal, a painter and performer; Sarah Fox, an experimental animator; Richard Woods, a figurative painter and woodcarver; and Steven Tatlow, a portrait photographer.

Each artist will receive their own studio space, peer support, individual mentoring, and opportunities to display their work at the gallery. Bristol-based artist and doctoral researcher Bo Lanyon will lead the mentoring programme. Bo understands the challenges of maintaining an artistic practice while managing everyday responsibilities and wants to help the artists build resilience, confidence, and connections in the art world. The programme hopes to help these artists develop their unique voices and make a positive impact on the local art scene. The gallery also encourages the public to share their ideas for stories about art in Gloucestershire.