We are delighted to announce that the winner of the CASS Art x Phoenix Studio Award 2026 is… Celia Francis!

Phoenix Art Space and CASS Art are proud to support recent graduates from the University of Brighton by providing a free studio at Phoenix for one year, giving an emerging artist the time, space and support to continue developing their practice after graduation.

Celia said:
“I’m incredibly honoured and grateful to be awarded the Cass Art x Phoenix Art Space Award 2026. It has been so encouraging to have my work recognised in this way, and I would like to sincerely thank everyone involved in the selection process for their generosity and for their confidence in my practice and its potential.
This award provides a wonderful platform to continue exploring new ideas and pushing my work further. I am excited for all that this recognition may make possible, and I look forward to the opportunities and conversations that lie ahead.”

A huge thank you to CASS Art for their continued sponsorship of this award. A year of free studio space at such a pivotal stage in an artist’s career provides more than just a place to work—it offers the time, stability and opportunity to build a sustainable creative practice. Support like this can have a lasting impact on an artist’s future.

Congratulations, Celia! We can’t wait to see where the year ahead takes you.

Follow Celia on instagram: instagram.com/celiafrancis.artist