Clare Stanhope

About the winner:

Clare Stanhope has been teaching in secondary art education for twenty five years in inner city schools in London. Having completed a doctorate in arts and learning, the focus of her practice research is around the decolonisation of arts education and how creative practice can support the empowerment of young people.

Clare founded of the Centre for Creative Explorations (CCE) to support practice research driven by young people for young people, whilst engaging with artists, academics, creative practitioners and the local community.

This focus on collaboration is central to Clare’s practice and she has worked with various organisations who share this interest, including, the Anti-Racist Art Education Action group (NSEAD), the Gender and Transformative Education group (NSEAD), the Making Sense project (SLG and UAL) and was part of the advisory board for the Visualise project commissioned by Runneymede Trust and Freelands Foundation.

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What the judges said:

'For over 25 years, Clare has demonstrated extraordinary dedication to enriching and strengthening the art education community through creativity, collaboration and advocacy. Through the Centre for Creative Explorations at Harris Girls’ Academy East Dulwich, she has created transformative spaces where young people are empowered to examine their lived experiences, challenge inequality and imagine new possibilities for themselves and their communities. Her work places creativity at the centre of education as a powerful force for confidence, agency, belonging and social change.

Clare’s practice is deeply rooted in care, trust and collaboration, consistently centering the voices of young people and enabling them to lead creative conversations around identity, gender, race, power and wellbeing. Through innovative projects she has reimagined what arts education can be, blending activism, dialogue, artistic practice and community-building in ways that are both imaginative and profoundly inclusive.

What makes Clare especially deserving of the Community Luminary Award is her sustained generosity and leadership within the wider arts education community. Over the past decade, she has built meaningful connections between schools, artists, academics and communities, while inspiring fellow educators to teach with greater courage, empathy and ambition. Her work has had a lasting impact not only on the young people she supports, but on colleagues and the wider sector, strengthening the visibility, value and transformative potential of art education for all.'

Clare receiving her award at The National Gallery, 20 June 2026 (Photography by Dan John Lloyd).