Today, the five artists shortlisted for the Brookfield Properties Craft Award, in partnership with the Crafts Council 2022 have been announced. They are Anthony Amoako-Attah, Dawn Bendick, Cecilia Charlton, Christian Ovonlen and Irina Razumovskaya. The winner will be revealed on 24 February 2022 at a VIP ceremony at Somerset House, as part of Crafts Council’s Collect 2022 art fair.
Now in its third year, the Brookfield Properties Craft Award is one of the most significant craft prizes in the UK, worth £60,000 to the artist and their associated gallery. The Award recognises an artist who significantly contributes to the story of contemporary craft and making in the UK.
As part of the Award, Brookfield Properties acquires the winning artist’s work for the Crafts Council Collection, which currently holds over 1,700 objects. The winning artist, selected by Crafts Council and Brookfield Properties curators, will also receive a solo exhibition at a Brookfield Properties space opening in summer 2022.
The inaugural award in 2020 was won by Matt Smith, with Anna Ray winning in 2021.
The five shortlisted artists were selected from 350 artists showing at the 2022 edition of Collect, the leading international fair for contemporary design and craft. A longlist of ten artists were initially selected, which were then whittled down to the final five.
Rosy Greenlees – OBE and Executive Director of the Crafts Council, said: “It is extremely important to the craft sector to have support from companies like Brookfield Properties who truly believe in the power of craft to enliven the built environment and beyond. The Brookfield Craft Award is particularly unique as its benefit to the artist is threefold: with a solo exhibition in the heart of the City, their work becoming part of a collection of national significance and receipt of a substantial cash prize. The shortlist reflects a shared appetite of the Crafts Council and Brookfield Properties for the exciting diversity of craft being made today and I look forward to the winner being announced.”
Caitlin Warfield – Vice President, Brookfield Properties, said: “We want to congratulate the five artists on being shortlisted for this year’s Craft Award – their work and different practices are a true reflection of the breadth of UK craft. Arts and culture are embedded in Brookfield Properties and we are proud to be partnering with the Crafts Council on the Brookfield Properties Craft Award to celebrate contemporary makers in the UK and boost the country’s national crafts heritage.”
