The HIX Award, the art prize set up by the restaurateur and author Mark Hix, is delighted to announce the year’s shortlisted artists, all whom will feature in a group exhibition at HIX ART, opening September 14, 2019.

The shortlisted artists are: Alexander Dixon, Bianca Barandun, Christopher Hartmann, Dafni Atha, David Mullen, Gabriela Giroletti, Jacob Littlejohn, Jung Min Park, Lucy Gregory, Megan Mary Baker, Melissa Hartley, Paul Wood, Richard Baker, Saroj Patel, Yulia Iosilzon.

The award, which carries a £10,000 first prize to put towards studio costs, is open to current students and recent graduates of UK art colleges. It was created in 2013 by Hix to give young artists a platform to showcase their work and take their first steps in their professional careers. The winner will also receive a solo exhibition at HIX ART, Hix’s Shoreditch gallery.

This year’s main sponsor is the international gallery, Hauser & Wirth. Says its co-founder and President, Iwan Wirth: ‘Our role as gallery is to be an incubator for art, talent and ideas. Artists are at the core of all our activities so we are particularly proud to support the HIX award, an initiative which helps artists at a crucial moment when they are starting out on their journey.’

Says Mark Hix: ‘We were overwhelmed by the applicants this year and it was as hard as ever to narrow the eld down to just fifteen.It will be even harder to pick a winner!”

The winner will be announced on 24 October at an awards ceremony at the gallery, where they will be presented with a trophy designed by the artist Damien Hirst. The second prize winner will receive £1,000 CASS art vouchers and the People’s Choice winner will get a weekend trip for two to HIX Townhouse in Lyme Regis with a dinner at HIX Oyster & Fish House.

The judges this year include Iwan Wirth, Eliza Bonham-Carter, Head of Art, Royal Academy of Arts, Dylan Jones, GQ editor and Paul Robinson, founder of Artlyst.

Past winners of the award include: Nicholas Permain (2013), Felix Treadwell (2014), Ally McIntyre (2015), Joshua Raz (2016), Sam Bailey (2017). Last year’s winner, Elizabeth Eade says: ‘Winning the HIX Award has been amazing. The prize money has allowed me to continue to take adventures with my work, which has been a joy. I have had a busy year exhibiting, preparing for my solo exhibition and finishing my MA at Brighton, this has really focused my practice. It has also given me a confidence in my artistic convictions and I hope that this has translated into my work. I guess I feel braver.’