Sovereign Art Foundation (SAF) Students Prize Chester 2026 has named its winners following a week-long art exhibition at Chester Cathedral, with all 30 finalist's artworks are available to buy in an online auction until 22 May.

The Prize was a celebration of creativity for secondary school students across Cheshire West & Chester, Wrexham and Flintshire, bringing together a regional showcase of emerging talent.

Schools were invited to nominate promising students aged 11 to 18 to enter their work into the prize, to gain recognition beyond the classroom, with an opportunity for the winners to be entered into the SAF Global Students Prize.

An expert judging panel shortlisted 30 finalists, whose artworks were exhibited at Chester Cathedral between 27th April and 5th May, and visitors were invited to vote for their favourite artwork. The public vote determined the Public Vote Prize winner, awarding £400 to the student and £1,000 to the winner's school.

In parallel, the judging panel assessed the student entries and selected the overall Judges' Prize winner, awarding £800 to the student and £2,000 to the winner's school. This year's judging panel included Howard Bilton (Founder and Chairman of SAF), and artists/arts professionals; Paul Curtis, David Mach, Jood Gough, Julie Colclough, Jim Wheat and Lindsey Moran.

The winners of both prizes were announced at the awards ceremony, held at Chester Cathedral on 5th May:

Judges' Prize Winner

Elizabeth Jackson

Artwork - "Yearning"

Public Vote Winner

Sophie Hughes

Artwork - "Self Portrait, Identity"

The awards marked a celebration not only of individual talent, but also of the school's art departments supporting students' creativity across the region.

The Lord Mayor of Chester attended, delivering an engaging speech, recognising the talent of the finalists and the importance of art in education. The event was beautifully photographed by Kat Hannon of HACK Creative Agency, conveying the atmosphere and heart of the occasion for the students.

Head of Art at The Maelor School, Mrs Hartigan, said: "Winning the Public Vote Prize is a fantastic achievement and a real testament to Sophie's talent and dedication.

"We are incredibly proud of her success. To also have, another one of our students, Eden selected as a finalist makes this a very special moment for our students and our department.

"The school is delighted that its students had the opportunity to showcase their work in such an iconic venue and to be recognised on such a prestigious platform"

Head of Art at Hartford Church of England High School, Miss Andrea Sadler, said: "It was wonderful to be a part of the SAF Student Prize, the exhibition was a true celebration of creativity and demonstrated the hard work and dedication of art students from across the region.

"Seeing students and visitors viewing the work gave a level of validation for the arts which isn't always seen in school.

"We were immensely proud of Elizabeth Jackson, not just because she won the Judges Prize, but because she was able to have a platform for her work and received some lovely comments from her peers.

"It was also good to see the creative outreach work Sovereign do, highlighting the healing power of creativity."

Online Auction Now Live

With the winners announced, the spotlight now turns to all 30 finalists: the online auction is open until 22 May, giving the public the opportunity to bid on original artworks and support young artists at the start of their creative journeys.

Chester Visual Arts @chestervisualarts is a local charity dedicated to promoting art in the community.

They will benefit from the students' artwork that is successfully auctioned and will receive a donation of 50 per cent of the sale proceeds, with the other 50 per cent paid to the student.

1. Browse the finalist artworks online
2. Choose a favourite piece (or two!)
3. Placing a bid before the auction closes on 22 May

The auction is being hosted online HERE.

Full information about the prize, the finalists and the winning artworks can also be found HERE.

Now in its third year, the SAF Students Prize Chester continues to grow as a celebration of youth creativity across the region, shining a light on the importance of arts education and the powerful role it can play in young people's lives.

With the auction open for a limited time, celebrate the region's emerging young creatives and be part of this year's vibrant showcase of talent. Every bid makes a difference.

The Sovereign Art Foundation (SAF) is a registered charity that was founded in 2003 to recognise and promote contemporary art talent around the world and bring therapeutic benefits of art to children in need, so they can live full and creative lives.

The Sovereign Art Foundation 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.

Facebook: The SAF Students Prize, Chester (@SAFSPChester) | SovereignArtFoundationStudentsPrizes

Instagram: @safstudentsprize | @sovereignartfoundation

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