Inaugural Bloomberg New Contemporaries Bursary Artist Announced: Matt Copson

SPACE and Bloomberg New Contemporaries are delighted to announce Matt Copson as the inaugural recipient of the Bloomberg New Contemporaries Studio Bursary Award for graduate artists. The bursary, funded by Bloomberg New Contemporaries and chosen by 2014 selectors Marvin Gaye Chetwynd, Enrico David and Goshka Macuga, will provide Copson with a rent-free studio for one year. 

Studio provision for early career artists is recognised by SPACE and Bloomberg New Contemporaries as a key mode of support, against a backdrop of increased costs of living especially noticeable in London boroughs. The programme will facilitate artists’ development and enables the production of a new body of work. 

The bursary studio is located in SPACE’s newly upgraded Deborah House premises in Hackney, E9, London. Over the last 2 years, SPACE has been investing in significant studio upgrades across 5 of its premises, to provide better workspace for artists, whilst reducing the environmental impact of its portfolio. In line with the goals of a wider long-term artist development programme, the establishment of sustainable buildings will ensure the retention of affordable workspace for artists in and around Central London in years to come.

Matt Copson joins the roster of Bloomberg New Contemporaries that includes Tacita Dean, Mona Hatoum, Damien Hirst, David Hockney and Mike Nelson as well as more recent emerging artists including Ed Atkins, Peles Empire, Nathaniel Mellors, Haroon Mirza and Laure Prouvost. This year’s Bloomberg New Contemporaries will launch in Nottingham across artist-led spaces One Thoresby Street, Backlit and Primary, supported by additional activity at Nottingham Contemporary, New Art Exchange and Nottingham Castle. Matt Copson’s work can be seen along with Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2014 participants at Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange from 21 March – 30 May 2015.