Bianca Raffaella and Emi Avora shine at the Women in Art Prize 2025

The Women in Art Prize 2025 was awarded on September 17th at the Pigott Theatre in the British Library, London, cementing its status as one of the UK's most prestigious art awards. Since its inception eight years ago, this prize has become a benchmark for visibility and support of female talent, and each edition brings together key figures from British culture and art: artists, collectors, critics, journalists, and institutional representatives.

This year, the competition took a decisive step by launching an international category for the first time, a move that confirms the award's global reach and its ability to build bridges beyond the borders of the United Kingdom. The atmosphere at the Pigott Theatre was charged with enthusiasm and recognition, not only for the winners, but also for the transformative power of giving female creators a voice in a system still marked by inequality.

Bianca Raffaella: an artist who paints with memory

The star of the evening was Bianca Raffaella, who took home the top prize along with the Printing Prize for her series Just out of reach – Close; Closer; Closest. Her delicate and deeply tactile work is created through the direct contact of her fingers and thumbs on the canvas. Due to her visual impairment, Raffaella paints from memory and her sense of touch, transforming the act of creating into a sensory experience that challenges traditional notions of 'vision' in art.

Her career is already remarkable: she was the first blind student on record to graduate with honors from Kingston University, and she participated in Tracey Emin's residency in Margate. Emin herself said: 'Raffaella paints as she sees, and I immediately fell in love with her work.' Her upcoming solo exhibition at the Art Academy Southbank, in conjunction with Tate Modern, will be a milestone in her career and an opportunity for the British public to engage with her unique visual language.

Emi Avora: an international award that crosses borders

The international prize, sponsored by the Tryson Collection, was awarded to Greek artist Emi Avora for her painting "To See Everything at Once." The work, luminous and dreamlike in nature, intertwines references to her Mediterranean heritage with her current life in Singapore, creating a piece rich in multiple cultural interpretations.

This award marks a new chapter for the Women in Art Prize, which no longer focuses solely on artists based in the UK, but extends its platform to female creators worldwide. For Avora, receiving this recognition means opening herself up to networks of British collectors and media, a historically influential market in shaping the course of international contemporary art.

Awards that celebrate diversity and discipline

The ceremony also recognized artists who represent the plurality of media and sensibilities present in the current art scene: - Judy Clarkson received the Paula Rego Painting Prize for Kneeling Woman, a work imbued with intimacy and physical strength. - Rona Bar won the Eve Arnold Photography Prize with Lois and her mother Carey, Before Shabbat dinner, a photograph that tenderly portrays family bonds and vulnerability. - Sally Baldwin was awarded the Sculpture Prize for Lost Souls, a piece in woven and deconstructed paper that reflects on human and environmental fragility.

In addition, the Susan Angoy Award for artists of African and Caribbean descent was given to Marcia Patterson for her series Duality – Strength and Weakness, while Kirsty Bekoe-Tabiri was recognized as a finalist. The Tim May Memorial Prize was awarded to Gherdai Hassell for Why We Need Audacity, and the Young Woman Artist Award supported emerging female creators beginning to forge their careers.

Celebrities and international projection

One of the most talked-about moments of the evening was the recognition of well-known figures on the international cultural scene: actress-turned-painter Sharon Stone, Spanish sculptor Verónica Mar, and German abstract painter Petra Schott were honored at the ceremony. Their participation not only added a touch of glamour but also an international resonance that underscored the award's significance beyond British borders.

The gala demonstrated that the Women in Art Prize is not merely an awards ceremony, but a gathering of leading figures in British culture: from influential critics and collectors to gallery owners and specialized journalists. The prestige of this event lies precisely in its ability to unite the entire artistic community around a common cause: recognizing and promoting female talent.

The background: a persistent gap

Although the evening was marked by celebration, the Women in Art Prize also seeks to highlight a worrying reality: gender inequality in art. Despite the fact that more than 60% of students in Fine Arts faculties are women, in London only 32% are represented in commercial galleries.

In the secondary market, the disparity is even greater. Since 2008, Picasso's works have exceeded $6.2 billion in sales, a figure that barely equals the total accumulated sales of all works by women artists throughout history. These numbers not only reflect an economic imbalance but also a loss of narratives and sensibilities that continue to be rendered invisible.

A platform that builds the future

In this context, the Women in Art Prize stands as more than just a competition: it's a platform that builds the future. As its founder, Gabrielle du Plooy, points out, the goal is not only to award prizes, but also to generate networks, give visibility, and open doors for artists. Participation in the group exhibition and the media coverage that accompanies the finalists can transform careers that would otherwise remain in obscurity.

The 2025 edition has shown that simply awarding prizes is not enough. Real change happens when British institutions and the international art ecosystem commit to supporting careers, ensuring representation in galleries and museums, and providing ongoing support.

An act of historical justice

The exhibition of the award-winning works will be open to the public at the York Street Gallery in London from September 18 to 24, 2025. This event will allow visitors to appreciate firsthand the diversity and power of the female voices that are redefining the art scene today.

The Women in Art Prize is, ultimately, an act of historical justice and also an investment in the future. Because when women create, art expands. When they are given space, art is enriched. And when they are listened to, the world changes.