Introducing The Biscuit Factory Foundation Grant Winners 2026

David Kenny

‘I am an artist based in the North East of England, working with painting, sculpture and installation. My work centres on architecture, not as something functional or monumental, but as a way of holding stories. I make structures and objects that feel familiar yet impossible: places that appear to have been used, inhabited or abandoned, even if their purpose is unclear.

Much of my work sits between model, artefact and stage set. I’m interested in how physical details; scale, surface, weight, light – can suggest a wider world beyond the object itself. Materials include paint and canvas alongside timber and cast media such as concrete and jesmonite. Light and sound are often built into the work to give it a sense of presence and duration, as if something is ongoing rather than fixed.’

www.davidkenney.art

Holly Muirhead

‘Tufting has become my chosen medium because of its physicality, slowness and intimacy. Working with fibre allows me to process themes of care and softness. My work demonstrates my early exploration into tufting using fibre, texture and colour, using pile heights and shape to create statement pieces. This is all the beginning of my artistic journey and I can’t wait to channel my experiences into future work. I am especially interested in creating tactile, confrontational work that invites intimacy while addressing difficult or overlooked narratives. I aim to develop more feminist work using tufting and sculptural fibre techniques to explore women’s health and the historical pathologizing of female emotion. A key project I wish to develop is one called ‘Hysteria’, which will examine the legacy of medical misogyny and the silencing of women’s pain. Through soft yet imposing forms, this work will challenge the language used to control and diminish women’s lived experiences, transforming fibre into a site of confrontation.’

@tuftee

Helen Walkinshaw  

‘My name is Helen Walkinshaw, and I am a North East-based artist and music industry freelancer. I am the vocalist, songwriter and manager of IRKED, an independent punk
band that has spent the last several years building a dedicated community through
relentless touring, DIY ethics and a commitment to creating honest, politically engaged
music.’

@irked_69

Emily Collins

‘Thematically, I am interested in creating theatre that tells working class and queer stories in new and exciting ways. My practice combines detailed text work with a bold approaches to staging and design, allowing the craft and heart of the script to shine through in equal measure. The work I make is interested in making audiences feel like children again, taking them to a light headspace filled with curiosity and playfulness. This gives them space to sit with how they would feel day to day if the world was better and fairer, and interrogates existing structures that stop that from happening. I describe my work as cheeky, surprising and full of heart – with a focus on genre as a means to explore the world around us.’

@emilycollinsdirects

The Biscuit Factory Foundation has various grants available to a range of creative practitioners, from visual artists to musicians, living and working in the North East of England.

For over 20 years now, our foundation has helped artists thrive doing what they do best, making things, at their own pace, with no deadlines or expectations. The grant is for £1000 and is awarded to a different applicant every Quarter.

Requirements:

• Artists must live/work in the North East of England
• Be aged 18 – 99

Expectations:

We want the grant to be available in the most flexible way possible, so no reports or check ups etc. If you’re submission is accepted, the money is yours to do with as you please, whether that be for art supplies, inspirational excursions, or just the space and creative freedom to make what you want to make.

The next round of funding will close December 31st 2026.

Apply Here