The Sovereign Art Foundation has announced The Growing Artist Programme as the official charitable partner for the Sovereign Young Artist Competition 2026, run in conjunction with Gibraltar Cultural Services.  

A statement follows below:

The Sovereign Art Foundation (SAF), is pleased to announce The Growing Artist Programme as  the official charitable partner for the Sovereign Young Artist Competition 2026, run in conjunction  with Gibraltar Cultural Services.  

The Growing Artist Programme, launched in 2025 in Irish Town, is a non-profit initiative dedicated  to nurturing young artistic talent in Gibraltar. Through workshops, classes, mentorship schemes,  and collaborations with cultural and community organisations, the programme provides aspiring  artists with opportunities to grow, develop skills and confidence, and participate actively in  Gibraltar’s creative community. 

SAF selected The Growing Artist Programme as this year’s charitable partner due to the strong  alignment between its mission and the Foundation’s long-standing commitment to supporting  young, emerging talent and using art as a vehicle for positive social change. Both organisations  share a vision of encouraging creativity, widening access to artistic education, and empowering  the next generation of Gibraltar’s artists. 

50/50 Art Sales Model to Support Young Artists and the Community 

As with all Sovereign Art Foundation student prizes worldwide, all finalists’ works in the Gibraltar  competition will be made available for sale during two public exhibitions in March and April 2026. 

Proceeds from each sale will be split 50/50, with: 

• 50% going directly to the young artist, and 

• 50% donated to The Growing Artist Programme in support of its initiatives. 

This model not only rewards students for their creativity and hard work, but also strengthens arts focused initiatives within the community. 

A Track Record of Positive Local Impact 

Since launching the competition in Gibraltar in 2021, SAF has awarded multiple grants to local  causes and schools, providing tangible support alongside artistic recognition. The partnership  with The Growing Artist Programme represents an expansion of this impact, enabling support for  more young people as the competition itself grows. 

This year also marks the expansion of the competition’s age range - now covering 11 to 24 - made  possible through SAF’s partnership with Gibraltar Cultural Services. This development allows the  competition to shine a light on a broader spectrum of emerging artists, from secondary school  students to young adults beginning their creative careers. 

Alex Powell, Managing Director of Sovereign Trust (Gibraltar) Ltd, said: “We are delighted to welcome The Growing Artist Programme as our charitable partner for 2026.  Their mission perfectly complements the ethos of the Sovereign Art Foundation - ensuring young  people have the tools, opportunities, and encouragement to explore their creativity. The funds raised through artwork sales not only empower the artists themselves but feed directly back into  building a stronger artistic community in Gibraltar. It is inspiring to see how this competition,  which we have been proud to run since 2021, continues to generate meaningful and lasting  impact.” 

Amy Shepherd, Head of Creative Development at The Growing Artists Programme: "We are truly grateful to be selected as the charitable partner for 2026. The support of the  Sovereign Art Foundation is an incredible endorsement of our mission to nurture confidence,  creativity, and opportunity for young people in Gibraltar. To see the artwork created by young  artists not only celebrated but reinvested back into the community is profoundly meaningful. We  are honoured to work alongside a foundation that shares our belief in the transformative power  of the arts and we look forward to building an even stronger creative future together."