The 8th John Ruskin Prize exhibition

The John Ruskin Prize is a multidisciplinary art prize founded on the ideas of the radical 19th-century polymath John Ruskin, with a reputation for supporting and promoting artists, designers, and makers whose work defies easy categorisation.

This year marks the eighth edition, and it is open to all artists, designers, and craftsmen from around the world, aged 18 and above. The shortlist exhibition will be held at Trinity Buoy Wharf from 29 January - 21 February 2026, and is free and open to all. 

The winners were announced at the Exhibition Launch & Awards Announcement on Wednesday 28th January 2026 at Trinity Buoy Wharf:

• 1st Prize £3000 - Duncan Cameron, Stratigraphy
• Highly Commended - Rogan Brown, Cornucopia
• Highly Commended - Jo Guile, Negative Ground X & Negative Ground VIII
• The Alan Davidson Under 26 Prize: £1000 - Kanmi Olukanni , Me, Myself and I
• The Alan Davidson Under 26 Highly Commended - Izaac Elliott, Nothing Happens, Everything Happens
• Ruskin Mill Trust Prize: Awarded for a beautifully crafted functional object: £3,000 - Lena Heinrich, Taxonomy of a Straw Bundle
• Highly Commended - Anna Ólafsson, Anemone Cup
• Highly Commended - Katie Allen, Give her a voice
• Chelsea Arts Club Trust Prize for mid-career artists: £2,500 - Henny Burnett, Sponge Tower & Corrugated Tower

Selected from almost 4000 entries 93 artworks by 83 artists will be shown at a group exhibition at Trinity Buoy Wharf.

The shortlisted artists are:

Elisa Alaluusua, Luke Alen-Buckley, Katie Allen, Kim Anderson, John Angus, Abigail Asher, Grace Ayson, Rachel Bacon, Russell Bamber, Jacqui Barrowcliffe, Camila Barvo, Jacob van der Beugel, Sharon Bolister, Jim Bond, James Bristow, Rogan Brown, Camilla Brueton, Henny Burnett, Belinda Bushby, Mark Butler, Andrada Calin, Duncan Cameron, Cas Campbell, Fiona Campbell, Birch & Casey, Oliver Chard, Charlotte Chisholm, Benet Dalmau Alsina, Nikki Davidson-Bowman, Karen Downing, Beverley Duckworth, Jacqueline Duncan, Keith Dymond, Izaac Elliott, Tzion Essel, Francis Evans, Hannah Fray, Jan Frith Johnston, Frankie Gao, Jill Gibson, James Gosling, Mary Griffiths, David Grinaway, Jo Guile, Lena Heinrich, Brian D Hodgson, Ellie Howitt, Zeha Imran, Wenjun Jiang, Emily Jo Gibbs, Rose Jones, James Kessell, Kishwar Kiani, Benxing Liang, Claire Louise Davies, Tessa Maiden, Tracy McBride, Donna Mclean, Matthew Merttens, Ravi Modi, Tom Mole, Stephanie Nebbia, Melissa Newbery Welcome, Peter Newell-Price, Anna Ólafsson, Kanmi Olukanni, Anne Petters, Robert Radcliffe, Fiona Roberts, Emily Rose Saunders, Minty Sainsbury, Rita Sarafian, Chris Shaw Hughes, Tomohiro Shibuki, Cathryn Shilling, Alison Stott, Bridget Tennent, Felicity Warbrick, Helen Ward, Jenny Wiggins, Eleanor Wood, Youyang Zhao

The Selection panel this year includes:

• Julian Wild: Sculptor and former Vice President of the Royal Society of Sculptors
• Mary Evans: Artist and Director of Fine Art at UCL Slade
• Victoria Pomery OBE: CEO, The Box, Plymouth
• Neal Shasore Hon FRIBA: Architectural historian and writer
• Nichola Johnson OBE FSA: Director of the Guild of St George