Turner Prize education partnership to include School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies

A partnership between the University of Leeds, Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and Yorkshire Contemporary will support the education programme of the Turner Prize 2025.

As an academic partner, the University’s School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies and the Libraries’ Cultural Collections & Galleries will work closely with Leeds-based Yorkshire Contemporary and Bradford 2025 to support the prize’s public engagement and education programme.

This new collaboration aims to offer opportunities for students in the region to ensure long-term educational and cultural benefits in West Yorkshire.

This year’s Turner Prize – produced by Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and delivered in partnership with Tate, Bradford District Museums & Galleries and Yorkshire Contemporary – will be held at Bradford’s Cartwright Hall Art Gallery from 27 September 2025 to 22 February 2026 as a highlight in the district’s Bradford 2025 celebrations.

Rene Matic, As Opposed to the Truth installation. Photo credit: Dianna Pfammatter/CCA Berlin.

One of the world’s best-known prizes for the visual arts, the Turner Prize aims to promote public debate around new developments in contemporary British art. Established in 1984, the prize is named after the radical painter JMW Turner (1775-1851) and is awarded each year to a British artist for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work.

The partnership will provide University of Leeds students with real-world cultural sector experience through live briefs and creative industry talks, and offer public events with artists, researchers and cultural professionals.

News of the academic partnership follows the recent announcement that artists Nnena Kalu, Rene Matić, Mohammed Sami and Zadie Xa have been shortlisted for the prize, with the winner to be announced on 9 December.

We are really looking forward to engaging with the work of the shortlisted Turner Prize artists.

Professor Joanne Crawford

Professor Joanne Crawford, Head of the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies at the University of Leeds, said:

“All four artists shortlisted for this year’s Turner Prize exemplify distinct and diverse approaches to contemporary art, spanning varied media and modes of engagements. They actively represent contemporary art in a complex, compelling and often difficult world.

Zadie Xa, shortlisted artist for the Turner Prize. Top image credit: Charles Duprat. Courtesy Thaddaeus Ropac gallery.

“We’re particularly excited to see Zadie Xa recognised as her work was featured in Contested Bodies, a recent exhibition at The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery.

“Also Nnena Kalu, resident artist at ActionSpace – an official partner working with our University colleague Dr Jade French as part of her UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded project Inclusive Art for Wicked Problems.

“We are really looking forward to engaging with the work of the shortlisted Turner Prize artists, as part of our work with Bradford 2025 and Yorkshire Contemporary, in ways which will encourage creative and meaningful engagement across multiple communities.”

Nnena Kalu, Hanging Sculpture 1 to 10 installation. Photo courtesy of Manifesta 15 Barcelona Metropolitana. Photo credit: Ivan Erofeev.

The University of Leeds’ Educational Engagement team will be working on a number if initiatives around widening participation and increasing arts engagement.

Leeds’ position as an academic partner further cements the University’s ongoing relationship with Bradford 2025 as a Major Supporter and regular partnership with Yorkshire Contemporary, demonstrating its commitment to creativity, learning, knowledge exchange and public engagement across the region.

Professor Shearer West, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Leeds, said:

“The cultural sector plays an enormously important part in our lives and has huge societal and economic benefits.

“Leeds has long demonstrated its commitment to the sector, from our many creative partnerships on regional and national levels to our art galleries, Cultural Collections and public art trail on campus, which includes works by Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore.

“Our role as an academic partner on this year’s Turner Prize is incredibly exciting and is another demonstration of the quality and expertise in teaching and research at the University of Leeds.”

Mohammed Sami, After the Storm exhibition at Blenheim Palace. Photo credit: Ivan Erofeev.

John McMahon, Bradford 2025’s Director of Skills, Volunteering and Wellbeing, said:

“This partnership is a wonderful example of how the UK City of Culture designation can truly enrich education, open up access, and help build a brighter cultural future for not only those in the Bradford district, but also West Yorkshire.

“We're really excited to create more opportunities for people to get involved in the arts – especially young people in our region who face additional barriers and are underrepresented in the creative arts workforce.”

Hayley Dixon, Director at Yorkshire Contemporary, said:

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with the University of Leeds on the public programme for the Turner Prize.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to generate new dialogues around the incredible practices of the four nominated artists, and expand the reach of their work to audiences and students from across the region and beyond. We are excited to see the impact this will make to practitioners in West Yorkshire.”