The Sovereign Art Foundation (SAF) Students Prizes are annual awards that celebrate the importance of art in the education system and recognise the quality of artworks produced by secondary-school students across the world.
The first Students Prize was established in 2012 in Hong Kong and has been followed by additional prizes in Bahrain, Cyprus, Gibraltar, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, London, Malta, Mauritius, Portugal, Singapore. This year, Chester in the UK was also added to the roster.
The Students Prizes invite teachers from secondary schools to nominate their best art students to submit artworks online. A judging panel of local art professionals then shortlist the 20 best artworks to be exhibited in a public space.
During the exhibition, the judges reconvene to select one artwork to be awarded the Judges’ Prize while members of the public, either in person or online, also vote to determine the winner of the Public Vote Prize. The winning students receive cash prizes and trophies, while their school art departments also receive cash grants to be used to for the wider benefit of all students and their creative pursuits.
The short-listed artworks can be sold through silent auction, at the discretion of each student, with the sales proceeds being split equally between the students and our charitable programmes.
In 2021, SAF further established the Global Students Prize to bring together the winning artworks of the previous year’s Students Prize competitions from each participating country. From the shortlist, a Global Judges Prize winner and Global Public Vote Prize winner are selected. This competition enables cultural exchange between nations, showcasing artworks by the most talented and promising students from across the globe.
- Cyprus Students Prize – The Cyprus Students Prize is open to all enrolled secondary school students in Cyprus. The submission deadline for the Cyprus Students Prize was 16 November and the shortlist of artists will be announced during December. The Finalists’ Exhibition will open on 19 January and culminate with the awards ceremony on 25 January.
- Gibraltar Students Prize – Established in 2021, the Gibraltar Students Prize is open to all secondary school students in Gibraltar. The Finalists’ Exhibition opened on 20 November at Xapo Bank in Gibraltar’s Casemates Square and culminated with the awards ceremony on 30 November. The Judge’s Prize Winner was named as Ana Tricker for her artwork The ‘Patata’ Man, while the Public Vote Prize went to Zach Marrache for Synagogues of Gibraltar. The Hassans Prize, a special additional prize for local students, was won by Jeremy McMahon for his work Disturbing Alloy.
- Guernsey Students Prize – Established in 2015, the Guernsey Students Prize is open to all enrolled secondary school students in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. This year’s Finalists’ Exhibition was staged across three different locations: Art for Guernsey Gallery from 19 October to 2 November, Beau Sejour Leisure Centre from 6 to 11 November, and the Royal Court House from 15 to 28 November. The awards ceremony was held at the St James Guernsey Concert and Assembly Hall on 29 November, when the Judge’s Prize Winner was announced as Cait Le Noury for her artwork Flowers of Joy, while the Public Vote went to Lily Parkes for Guernsey Now and Then. Places on Art for Guernsey’s Summer Scholarship Programme were also awarded to Alexia Nour Ratl, Aurora Bougourd, Hannah Wright, Madeleine Gallagher and Eva Whitman.
- Hong Kong Students Prize – Established in 2012, the Hong Kong Students Prize is open to all enrolled secondary school students in Hong Kong. This year’s Finalists’ Exhibition opened on 6 November at Central Market and culminated with the awards ceremony on 12 November. The Judge’s Prize Winner was named as Alyssa Mallorca for her artwork It All Advances To A Blur, while the Public Vote Prize went to Jane Lee Chun for Old Street.
- Isle of Man Students Prize – Established in 2017, the Isle of Man Students Prize is open to all enrolled secondary school students in the Isle of Man. This year’s Finalists’ Exhibition ran from 16 October to 17 November at The Strand Shopping Centre, Douglas, with the awards ceremony held on 11 December. The Judge’s Prize Winner was named as Darcey Bateson for her artwork Stretched, while the Public Vote Prize went to Hana Bridson for Textures of the Forest.
- Malta & Gozo Students Prize – Established in 2017, the Malta Students Prize is open to all enrolled secondary school students in Malta and Gozo. The submission period for entries to the 2024 prize opened on 11 December and will close on 19 January 2024. The Finalists’ Exhibition will be staged in March, with the awards ceremony and announcements taking place in April.
- Mauritius Students Prize – Established in 2016, the Mauritius Students Prize is open to all enrolled secondary school students in Mauritius. This year’s Finalists’ Exhibition ran from 23 October at the Lemon Tree Café, Forbach, culminating with an awards ceremony held on 27 October. The Judge’s Prize Winner was named as Yoshika Chumun for her artwork Escape, while the Public Vote Prize went to Tanya Kelly CHEUNG CHIN YAN for Save a Stray.
- UK Chester Students Prize – 2023 was the inaugural edition of the Chester Students Prize, which is open to all enrolled secondary school students in Chester and Chester West. This year’s Finalists’ Exhibition ran from 20 to 27 November at Chester Cathedral, with the awards ceremony held on 22 November. The Judge’s Prize Winner was named as Emily Peacock for her artwork The Blue Bridge, while the Public Vote Prize went to Emma Powell for Watching Autumn. Chester-based Sovereign Corporate & Trustee Services (SCATS) also awarded a special commendation prize to Samuele Giavedoni for his painting Lisa, which also scored very highly.
- UK London Students Prize – Established in 2020, the London Students Prize is open to all enrolled secondary school students in London. This year’s Finalists’ Exhibition ran from 12 to 15 December at Phillips Auction House on Berkeley Square, with the awards ceremony held on 13 December. The Judge’s Prize Winner was named as Andrew Or for his artwork Wisdom In Wrinkles, while the Public Vote Prize went to Uriel Jinadu for Lati Ni Agbara (translated as ‘To Have Strength’).
