Sky Arts celebrates the tenth anniversary of Landscape Artist of the Year

Published: December 9, 2024 — Sky Arts embarks on another search for talented landscape artists across Britain and Ireland with a new series of Landscape Artist of the Year, airing on Sky Arts, Freeview and NOW on 22nd January 2025. Stephen Mangan returns to host joined by judges, award winning portrait artist Tai Shan Schierenberg, curator Kathleen Soriano and art historian Kate Bryan. 

This series showcases a diverse range of landscapes, challenging participating artists to depict some of the most striking and complex views in the UK. Featured locations include the dramatic Llanberis Lake at the base of Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon), the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, the historic grounds of Hampton Court Palace, and the newly redeveloped St. Pancras Basin. 

In each heat, eight artists will create a painting within a four-hour timeframe. Judges Tai Shan Schierenberg, Kathleen Soriano, and Kate Bryan will carefully evaluate the works to determine who advances to the semi-final. Additionally, 50 wildcard entrants will join the competition, showcasing their creativity and technique in each location. From these participants, one standout wildcard artist will also progress to the semi-final, where they will compete alongside the eight heat winners at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

The final challenge will take the top three artists to one of Britain’s most iconic landmarks, Stonehenge, where they will vie for the title of Landscape Artist of the Year. The winner will receive a £10,000 commission for the prestigious Courtauld Gallery in London and the opportunity to create a landscape in the south of France, following in the footsteps of the Monet, Manet and Van Gogh. 

Phil Edgar-Jones Executive Director of Unscripted at Sky remarked: “As we celebrate the 10th series of Landscape Artist of the Year, we continue to honour the extraordinary beauty of the British landscape and the incredible skills of the artists who participate. This milestone series also features an exciting addition: a commission in the South of France for the winner, offering an unforgettable opportunity to showcase their talent on an international stage.”

Danielle Graham of Storyvault Films added: “We are proud to mark a decade of Landscape Artist of the Year, a programme that has unearthed and supported countless talented artists, with a commission from the Courtauld gallery. The winner of the tenth series will have their work exhibited alongside the jewels in the Courtauld’s collection – paintings by Monet, Manet and Van Gogh – which feels like a fitting way to mark our ten years on the air’. 

Landscape Artist of the Year will air on Sky Arts, Freeview Channel 36, and streaming service NOW from Wednesday 22nd January 2025.