Spotlight on BA (Hons) Fine Art graduate Leoni Dingwall was named one of two winners of The New Graduate Award 2026 from The Northern School of Arts BA (Hons) Fine Art degree programme this summer. The New Graduate Award is a post-education professional development opportunity and studio-based residency from local Arts Council National Portfolio organisations Middlesbrough Art Week and The Auxiliary Project space.
The award aims to support selected graduates from North East institutions with an artist and materials fee, free studio space, talks by local artists and organisations with a focus on professional development, one-on-one crits with curators and space to debut their new week work at Middlesbrough Art Week.
Reflecting on her experience during the award she said “quite frankly this has been an experience I’ll never forget. From day one the resources, information and opportunities available were unreal.”
“We’ve been given access to artist meet ups through G.A.N.G and the Auxilliary’s members directory. widening our network to other artists in the North. Then came our industry intensive days that the Auxilliary organised, over the course of four days in Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland and Middlesbrough. We met with artists, gallery owners, curators and other highly qualified and experienced professionals in the field.”
“Notably we visited the Tish Murtha and Kuba Ryniewicz exhibition which honestly brought tears to my eyes, it was beautiful. We were Given the chance to discuss work and our thoughts about getting into the creative industry, as well as just pick people’s brains in general. We even got the chance to visit the newly built Culture House in Sunderland which is evidently going to become a budding centre for youth and creativity.”
As part of the programme graduates are given temporary studios in the North East, she said, “we were provided full induction days into our own studios. Here is where Sue Loughlin really shines through, our co-ordinator and community connector at The Auxilliary. Any issue or roadblock, Sue has moved mountains to ensure we get the best experience possible. Due to relocating for university, Sue ensured that I would be placed in a studio that I could access from wherever I happened to be located at the time. Possibly one of the biggest things that meant I could actually participate in the award programme.”
“I was located in Orbis Community Gateshead with four other graduates, all amazing people to have met. The director of Orbis, Jonpaul Kirvan, walked us through everything, anything we needed, he set it up. The studio itself was quite cool. A repurposed bank, our room was where the bank tellers would have taken your cash through the glass.”
HAF Project, Acts of Listening & Hartlepool Art Gallery
Through The New Graduate award Leoni has participated in a number of additional projects and events before debuting her work at MAW, she said; “JP has given us all of the resources available to begin a career in the arts, even inviting me to be a part of his project ‘Acts of Listening’ on the 23rd September 2026 which brings together a growing collection of artists’ books created through community workshops exploring identity, choice, wellbeing and belonging. Using collage, sculpture, writing, found materials and hidden narratives, each book becomes a personal space for reflection, communication and expression.”
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“Whilst participating in the award, I had the opportunity to create a selection of large scale murals for the HAF project hosted across the summer by a local council run playground, the work was advertised by North Tyneside Council. One of the murals, I was involved with was primarily completed by the children at the park. The opportunity to speak to kids in the same position I was as a child and hear their stories in the way they told them really inspired me. Alongside the opportunity I had the opportunity to have a tour of the Newbridge project and have a lengthy discussion with, Artist Development Programmer, Dan Russell about the benefit of creative community projects and spaces for youth and community well being.”
Additionally Leoni is currently exhibiting two pieces of work at Hartlepool Art Gallery, “fitting in with the theme of my work for MAW, I currently have two pieces on display in Hartlepool Art Gallery as part of the ‘Art in Recovery’ exhibition celebrating Hartlepool Recovery Festival and National Recovery Month to reduce the stigma of drug and alcohol use. My work in particular aimed to remind those who condemn those suffering with addiction that these people come from families that suffer equally through the struggle, both needing support rather than prejudice.”
Let them be bairns
Leoni said that these experiences on the award have formed inspiration for her latest works which will debut at Middlesbrough Art Week, she said: “These discussions led me to create my series of work “Let them be bairns” a multi media collection of work that responds to the growth of adult issues increasingly effecting the lives of children (according to statistics). Like poverty, abuse, mental health, parental loss, imprisonment, homelessness and so on. The work urges those with the power to do so, to create space for children to live life with ‘rose coloured glasses’ as they say and not have the responsibility of life changing decisions or situations.”
“In essence, let kids be kids, encourage play, fantasy and (regulated) chaos because we know nobody is perfect, but kids don’t need to know that yet.”
The work by the New Graduate Award winners will be opening within the opening night of Middlesbrough Art Week on the 24th September until 3rd October 2026, Leoni added “this year we have the pleasure and amazing opportunity to be exhibiting alongside the prestigious Turner Prize which really makes for an enticing show!”
Keep up to date with Leoni’s work on Instagram: @Northern_Scum_ and website.
If you are interested in a career in fine art our degree programme is a well established and dynamic course that offers students the freedom and resources needed to define their practice. Find out more about BA (Hons) Fine Art today!