£25k Genesis Foundation Prize
The Genesis Foundation Prize, formerly the Genesis Prize, recognises an outstanding mentor of artistic talent whose work has effected real change in the practice and careers of arts professionals or graduates.
Now in its twelfth year, the £25,000 Genesis Foundation Prize is the only prize to recognise extraordinary talent for mentoring in the arts and gives prize winners the means to invest further in their work.
The bi-annual prize is chosen by the Trustees of the Genesis Foundation on the recommendation of industry experts.
Prize Winners
Click on the mentors’ photos to find out how they used their prize money.
2024
Nancy Medina
2022
George Turvey
2020
Rebecca Salter
All Members
HR & Accounts
Sales & Marketing
IT Support
![Nancy Medina](https://genesisfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1.png)
Nancy Medina
Nancy Medina will be using her Genesis Foundation Prize money to launch her ambitious plans for the development of new British writing at Bristol Old Vic. This includes BOV’s flagship The Five-Year Commitment, which supports writers at different stages of their careers: one legacy, one mid-career, and an early-career writer, and the return of a dedicated Literary Department which will focus on supporting writers, stories and script development.
Find out more
![George Turvey](https://genesisfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/George-Turvey.png)
George Turvey
Through the Papatango Theatre Company, George Turvey has been using his Genesis Foundation prize money to pilot a new scheme called the Playwright-Player Commission. Offering an innovative model for championing rising talent, the scheme creates a pipeline of ambitious new work for major stages. The inaugural Playwright-Player Commission, hosted at Bristol Old Vic, connects a hugely promising early-stage playwright, Samuel Bailey – winner of The Times Breakthrough Award at the Sky Arts South Bank Awards for his play Shook – with Olivier Award-winning director Sally Cookson, and an actor. This new play will premiere on Bristol Old Vic’s celebrated main stage.
In addition to this scheme, George has used part of his prize money to commission a short film to celebrate 15 years of the Papatango New Writing Prize. Actor and writer Josh Barrow, whose script narrowly missed the New Writing Prize shortlist, has been awarded £2,500 by Papatango to create a 10-minute film in partnership with producer Phil Temple at Birdie Pictures, for release in 2024.
Find out more
![Rebecca Salter](https://genesisfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/3.png)
Rebecca Salter
Rebecca Salter used her prize money for her work as Keeper of the Royal Academy of Arts where she was responsible for guiding the RA Schools. Reflecting the crucial role of mentoring in the development of new artistic talent, which is at the core of the Genesis Foundation’s ethos, she used the prize money to develop a new programme that provided graduates of the RA School with the professional skills and resilience training needed to survive as practising artists in the commercial world. Rebecca was later appointed President of the RA.
Find out more
2018
Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson
2016
Hadrian Garrard
2014
Polly Staple
All Members
HR & Accounts
Sales & Marketing
IT Support
![Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson](https://genesisfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/4.png)
Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson
Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson used their prize money to continue to develop projects with refugees, following the success of their play The Jungle, supported and directed by Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin and produced by David Lan for the Young Vic. The Jungle originated in a specially built temporary theatre in the Calais refugee camp. It was a transformative experience for everyone involved as it gave residents of the camp, so often depicted as third class citizens, a chance to tell their story and to be involved in the creation of something positive. When the play came to the Young Vic, it earned them a host of five-star reviews with leading figures of the theatre world lining up to work with them.
Find out more
![Hadrian Garrard](https://genesisfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/5.png)
Hadrian Garrard
Hadrian Garrard used his prize money for his outstanding work as Director of Create London, the award-winning organisation that roots artists in their communities, drawing a sustainable model for artistic creation and funding within local groups. Reflecting the crucial role mentoring plays in developing artistic talent, which is at the core of both Create London and the Genesis Foundation’s ethos, Garrard chose to invest the prize money in a Young Curator Award programme.
Find out more
![Polly Staple](https://genesisfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/6.png)
Polly Staple
As Director of London’s Chisenhale Gallery, Polly Staple used her prize money to expand the scope and quality of the Chisenhale’s work, commissioning four emerging UK-based artists. The gallery worked with the artists from conception through to a public showing of the finished work.
Find out more
2012
Hamish Dunbar
All Members
HR & Accounts
Sales & Marketing
IT Support
![Hamish Dunbar](https://genesisfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/7.png)
Hamish Dunbar
The inaugural Genesis Foundation Prize was awarded to Hamish Dunbar, Artistic Director of Café Oto, so that he could establish an Associate Artists Programme and build a new temporary project space in which artists could create and develop their work. The programme saw Hamish work closely with five of the UK’s most exciting emerging musicians, providing a platform for them to present new work, develop ideas and initiate collaborations. Additionally, Café Oto built a new temporary space for musicians to meet, rehearse and perform with a capacity of 60.
Find out more