FUAM 2026: The Friends of University Art and Music Graduate Art Prize - The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery
Dates
16th September - 19th December 10:00 - 17:00
Address
Leeds, LS2 9JT
About The Event
Discover the freshest talent from Leeds’ art scene!
Celebrating its 14th year, the FUAM exhibition showcases the artistic talent of students completing BA studies in Art and Design and Fine Art at the University of Leeds in 2026.
Our 2026 finalists are:
Laura Gooch (BA Art & Design)
Marcus Hills (BA Art & Design)
Izzy Cheyne Jones (BA Fine Art)
Melissa Nesbitt (BA Fine Art)
This year’s selected artists each engage with how we relate to the world around us, through diverse practices which span sculpture, textiles, sound, installation, and biomaterials. Izzy Cheyne Jones’ work proposes how art can further our psychological and emotional relationship with our built environment, whilst Melissa Nesbitt explores the relationships between nature, memory, and family history. Laura Gooch advocates for interspecies entanglement and the potential of human-fungal integration, whilst Marcus Hills’ humorous projects expose the absurdity in our treatment of the natural world. All four demonstrate both technical excellence and artistic innovation.
The artworks featured in this exhibition have been selected from the artists’ final degree shows by an expert panel of judges. Our 2026 judges are Claire Knowles (Acting Director of Library Services at the University of Leeds), Damon Jackson Waldock (Director of The Art House, Wakefield), and Khadijah Ibrahiim (poet, playwright, and Artistic Director of Leeds Young Authors).
The judges will return to choose the overall winner of the FUAM Graduate Art Prize 2026. Visitors are encouraged to vote for their favourite artist for the People’s Choice Award, either online or at the Gallery.
The FUAM Graduate Art Prize is generously supported by Friends of University Art and Music.
Celebrating its 14th year, the FUAM exhibition showcases the artistic talent of students completing BA studies in Art and Design and Fine Art at the University of Leeds in 2026.
Our 2026 finalists are:
Laura Gooch (BA Art & Design)
Marcus Hills (BA Art & Design)
Izzy Cheyne Jones (BA Fine Art)
Melissa Nesbitt (BA Fine Art)
This year’s selected artists each engage with how we relate to the world around us, through diverse practices which span sculpture, textiles, sound, installation, and biomaterials. Izzy Cheyne Jones’ work proposes how art can further our psychological and emotional relationship with our built environment, whilst Melissa Nesbitt explores the relationships between nature, memory, and family history. Laura Gooch advocates for interspecies entanglement and the potential of human-fungal integration, whilst Marcus Hills’ humorous projects expose the absurdity in our treatment of the natural world. All four demonstrate both technical excellence and artistic innovation.
The artworks featured in this exhibition have been selected from the artists’ final degree shows by an expert panel of judges. Our 2026 judges are Claire Knowles (Acting Director of Library Services at the University of Leeds), Damon Jackson Waldock (Director of The Art House, Wakefield), and Khadijah Ibrahiim (poet, playwright, and Artistic Director of Leeds Young Authors).
The judges will return to choose the overall winner of the FUAM Graduate Art Prize 2026. Visitors are encouraged to vote for their favourite artist for the People’s Choice Award, either online or at the Gallery.
The FUAM Graduate Art Prize is generously supported by Friends of University Art and Music.
Performances
| Date & Time | Ticket Price | Booking |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 19th October, 10:00 | ||
| Tuesday 20th October, 10:00 | ||
| Wednesday 21st October, 10:00 | ||
| Thursday 22nd October, 10:00 | ||
| Friday 23rd October, 10:00 | ||
| Saturday 24th October, 10:00 | ||
| Monday 26th October, 10:00 | ||
| Tuesday 27th October, 10:00 | ||
| Wednesday 28th October, 10:00 | ||
| Thursday 29th October, 10:00 | ||
| Friday 30th October, 10:00 | ||
| Saturday 31st October, 10:00 | ||
| Monday 2nd November, 10:00 | ||
| Tuesday 3rd November, 10:00 | ||
| Wednesday 4th November, 10:00 | ||
| Thursday 5th November, 10:00 | ||
| Friday 6th November, 10:00 | ||
| Saturday 7th November, 10:00 | ||
| Monday 9th November, 10:00 | ||
| Tuesday 10th November, 10:00 | ||
| Wednesday 11th November, 10:00 | ||
| Thursday 12th November, 10:00 | ||
| Friday 13th November, 10:00 | ||
| Saturday 14th November, 10:00 | ||
| Monday 16th November, 10:00 | ||
| Tuesday 17th November, 10:00 | ||
| Wednesday 18th November, 10:00 | ||
| Thursday 19th November, 10:00 | ||
| Friday 20th November, 10:00 | ||
| Saturday 21st November, 10:00 | ||
| Monday 23rd November, 10:00 | ||
| Tuesday 24th November, 10:00 | ||
| Wednesday 25th November, 10:00 | ||
| Thursday 26th November, 10:00 | ||
| Friday 27th November, 10:00 | ||
| Saturday 28th November, 10:00 | ||
| Monday 30th November, 10:00 | ||
| Tuesday 1st December, 10:00 | ||
| Wednesday 2nd December, 10:00 | ||
| Thursday 3rd December, 10:00 | ||
| Friday 4th December, 10:00 | ||
| Saturday 5th December, 10:00 | ||
| Monday 7th December, 10:00 | ||
| Tuesday 8th December, 10:00 | ||
| Wednesday 9th December, 10:00 | ||
| Thursday 10th December, 10:00 | ||
| Friday 11th December, 10:00 | ||
| Saturday 12th December, 10:00 | ||
| Monday 14th December, 10:00 | ||
| Tuesday 15th December, 10:00 | ||
| Wednesday 16th December, 10:00 | ||
| Thursday 17th December, 10:00 | ||
| Friday 18th December, 10:00 | ||
| Saturday 19th December, 10:00 |
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