Spotlight on BA (Hons) Fine Art graduate Eva Grinvalde who 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.
“Since receiving the award I have been able to experience the art community from a completely different angle.” Said Eva of the award, “This includes the four intensive days that we did at the start of the New Graduate Award, where on the first two, based at MIMA in Middlesbrough, we received many talks from many different artists like Will Hughes, Alia Gargum and Ali Cooke among others as well as receiving talks on what first steps you need to make to start off your career as an artist.”
“The other two days were art Newcastle and Sunderland where we got to go around many different galleries and receive talks and have a lot of meaningful one-to-one conversations that could potentially lead important connections in the art community. This made me realize how vast the art community is in Teesside and surrounding areas and how welcoming everyone is. As a part of the NGA we got given a studio space, me and two others ended up in Navigator North studios in Middlesbrough, Navigator North is a truly amazing space and I have had the opportunity to collaborate with other artists residing in the studios as well. Once again I have experienced how nice and welcoming everyone is in the art community. “
Eva describes the four days of activity as “a very big learning experience where I got to meet a lot of different people, all in different stages of their art careers.”
She highlighted the help of Sue Laughlin from the Auxiliary; “our rock throughout this whole experience. Throughout the NGA we received two one-to-one critiques, one delivered by Sue and the other by Will Hughes, this was one of my favourite parts of the NGA since as an emerging artist being able to talk to and take advice from more experienced, practicing artists is vital at this stage of my artist development.”
Reflecting on her up coming exhibition at Middlesbrough Art Week Eva said, taking part in Middlesbrough Art Week has been something I have dreamed about for the past 3 years, I am still a bit shocked that this is happening. I cannot express in words how excited I am to be a part of something this amazing event.”
Reflecting on her new work she said, “I have been producing some new work that expands further from my 3rd year practice mostly focusing on my experiences as a migrant residing in England. I am experimenting with a more realistic painting style so the paintings I have produced during these past months will appear quite different from my work that I have produced before.”
MAW will be running from the 24th September till the 3rd of October. The New Graduate Award showcase can be viewed at 36 Albert Road, Middlesbrough.
Keep up to date with Eva’s work on her Instagram 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!