In 2025, painter Hattie Quigley was named winner of the JM Finn Graduate Artist Award at Affordable Art Fair Battersea. A year on, she gives an update on how her career has developed since winning the bursary.
For many young artists, the period after university can be difficult. Studio space, materials and visibility all come at a cost. The JM Finn Graduate Artist Award offers a bursary to help one artist develop their practice at this crucial stage.
The award sits at the heart of the fair’s Graduates Exhibition, currently curated by art historian and podcaster Jo McLaughlin. Each year, the curator visits degree shows across the UK to select recently graduated artists who are not yet represented by a gallery, giving them a platform in front of collectors, galleries and new audiences.
How the JM Finn Graduate Artist Award has helped
Hattie, who graduated from Edinburgh College of Art, creates large-scale oil paintings exploring the body, hunger, indulgence and desire. “I’m sure having the JM Finn Bursary Award on my CV helped – it’s an accolade to point to when applying,” Hattie said. “The Bursary Award money allowed me to buy materials to work on such a large scale.”
Since receiving the award, her work has been shown in the Society of Women Artists 2026 exhibition and taken to Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong. This September, she begins a master’s at the Royal College of Art, and will open a solo show at Refuse’s new North Acton gallery space.
Her advice to this year’s graduates is practical: “Be prepared to wear loads of different hats, whether that’s meeting fellow graduates and building community, or being as proactive as possible about meeting people at fairs or applying to things.”
Oliver Tregoning, Head of Marketing at JM Finn, said: “It’s great to hear that the bursary has helped launch Hattie’s career as an artist and opened up new avenues for her to share her excellent work. We at JM Finn wish Hattie every success for her future.”
To see Hattie’s work and stay up to date with her exhibitions, visit her website here.
The Graduates Exhibition returns to Affordable Art Fair Battersea from 14–18 October, where the 2026 winner of the JM Finn Graduate Artist Award winner will also be announced.
