Louisa Waterford Prize Exhibition Event

Sunday 24 May 2026 | 10:30am - 4pm | Etal Village Hall/Lady Waterford Hall, Ford & Etal TD12 4TL

Once every two years a very special arts' event takes place in Northumberland to commemorate the work and philanthropy of artist Lady Louisa Waterford (nee Stuart). The Louisa Waterford Prize was founded in 2022 by local arts' event organisation The Tin Shed, supported by the Lady Waterford Hall Trust and Hastings First Gallery in Coldstream, this year's event is the third one and takes place on Sunday, May 24, 10.30am-4pm (11am at Lady Waterford Hall).

Local artists and makers submit original work for the Prize, which culminates in an extended cross-estate event at Ford and Etal. It includes the main Prize exhibition of finalists at Etal Village Hall, individual solo exhibitions/work for sale by local artists in the rear rooms at Etal Hall and Lady Waterford Hall and solo open studios by artists already based at Ford and Etal, such as artist Claire Brownlow whose studio is down the hill next to river at Etal, sculptor Peter Fagan based next door to Old Forge (which he also runs)and potter Keith Webster at Ford Village artists John and Lorna Speight, and historical folklore storyteller Spindrift at Heatherslaw (to name just a few). All will be open as part of the Exhibition event with special displays. All will be signposted as part of the event similar to an art trail, so pick up a flyer on the day to follow it. Solo exhibitions at Lady Waterford Hall are by textile artist Carrie Buchanan-Brown and artist Kevin Nicholls, who will also stage painting demos in acrylics during the day. At Etal Hall, solo exhibitions will be by local artist Linda Scott-Robinson and textile artist Natalie Goodman who will demonstrate free-style machine embroidery.

The Prize Exhibition takes place in main hall at Etal and will include a huge variety of work, from film, to paintings, illustrations, textile art, rag rug art, sculpture and more (submissions are still open and close March 6). As well as the official judges, there will be a separate People's Prize, selected by visitors on the day. The judges will announce their winner at about 3pm at Etal.

Previous winners are furniture maker Rob Elliott from Selkirk and Northumberland artist Richard O'Connor. As part of the Prize the winner's work will be professionally exhibited at Hastings First Gallery and at one of The Tin Shed annual events.

Find info about it all on our event pages at www.thetinshed.co.uk

All venues are free admission. Dogs on leads are welcome. Tearooms are open at Etal, Heatherslaw and Ford Village, Heatherslaw Train will be running as usual for riverside rides and there are many more visitor attractions across Ford and Etal, so well worth a visit and making a day of it. The Prize event is entirely self-funded, so all support for it is very welcome.

T: 07973 108608
E: [email protected]
W: www.thetinshed.co.uk