Henley Arts Trail 2026 Celebrates 20 Year

The Henley Arts Trail celebrated a significant milestone in 2026, marking its 20th anniversary with another successful showcase of artistic talent across Henley-on-Thames and the surrounding area. Alongside welcoming thousands of visitors to explore the work of artists, makers and creatives across a variety of venues, the trail continued its commitment to nurturing emerging talent through the ArtSpark Competition.

Now in its third year, ArtSpark was established to recognise and support gifted young artists aged 16–18, providing opportunities to develop skills beyond those typically available within the school curriculum. Thanks to the support of sponsors including Daler-Rowney and The Arts Society Henley, the winners receive £100 worth of Daler-Rowney art materials alongside a one-to-one masterclass with a professional artist in their chosen medium.

Wendy Penrose, Chair of the Henley Arts Trail Committee and fine jewellery designer, explained the importance of the initiative:

“I wanted to make sure that as a community of creatives we support the next generation of up-and-coming artists. With many schools only having limited resources for teaching art, it’s important to offer the most talented young students the chance to try alternative specialist media that may not be part of their curriculum.”

The awards were presented by Henley Mayor Tom Buckley during the Henley Arts Trail launch event, hosted by one of the trail’s principal sponsors, The Plough at Shiplake.

This year’s prestigious Judith Fletcher Memorial Prize was awarded to Amy Smith, a Year 13 student at Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School in Marlow. The judges unanimously selected Amy for her exceptional technical ability across multiple media and her strong artistic interpretation.

The award honours Judith Fletcher, one of the original founders of the Henley Arts Trail, who played a significant role in supporting the arts community over the past two decades.

As part of her prize, Amy selected a masterclass in watercolour painting with renowned artist and author Liz Chaderton. Having previously worked primarily in other media, Amy was eager to expand her artistic practice.

“I have not used watercolour or ink that much before, and I would love the chance to experiment with this medium further,” she explained. “I have looked at Liz’s work and I love the energy and character she captures. I would like to discover just how she creates each piece.”

Amy, who has secured an offer to study Art History at Cambridge University, described creativity as an essential part of her life:

“Being creative certainly means a lot to me. I have always loved art as a way to experiment and collect different ideas and pieces of inspiration and turn them into a complete work. Art is such a crucial part of our society.”

Joining Amy as ArtSpark winners were Sofia Futcher, a Year 12 student at Queen Anne’s School, and Aidan Wise, a Year 12 student at Shiplake College.

Sofia chose to develop her skills in clay sculpture through a one-to-one masterclass with ceramic artist Alison Pink, whose work has been exhibited at the Mall Galleries in London and who has participated in the Henley Arts Trail for many years.

Speaking about her passion for creativity, Sofia said:

“What I love about being creative is the ability to express yourself, to develop and evolve. Creativity will always involve risks as you do not know what the final outcome will be. It is a spontaneous process rather than a planned one that allows you to grow and come out of your comfort zone.”

Meanwhile, Aidan selected oil painting tuition with artist Sue Tilbury. Having already begun experimenting with oils, he wanted expert guidance to refine his techniques and further develop his practice. Sue’s reputation as a mentor was already well established, having worked with all three of the 2025 ArtSpark winners.

A key objective of ArtSpark is to provide young artists with opportunities to experience specialist disciplines that may not be available within school art departments. The initiative also creates valuable mentoring relationships with established professional artists, helping participants build confidence as well as technical skills.

Wendy Penrose highlighted the broader value of the programme:

“The ArtSpark prize gives young artists the chance to experiment and try something new with the advantage of being taught by a professional in that field who becomes a sort of mentor at the same time.”

This commitment to supporting creative education aligns with the wider importance of the UK’s creative industries, which contribute over £124 billion to the UK economy while providing opportunities for future generations of artists, designers and makers.

As a proud sponsor of ArtSpark, Daler-Rowney is delighted to support initiatives that encourage artistic development and provide young creatives with access to professional-quality materials.

By supplying £100 worth of art materials to each winner, Daler-Rowney helps ensure that talented young artists can continue exploring new techniques and media beyond the classroom.

The work of the ArtSpark winners was displayed during the Henley Arts Trail from 2–4 May 2026, giving visitors the opportunity to experience first-hand the creativity, skill and potential of the next generation of artists.

Congratulations to Amy Smith, Sofia Futcher and Aidan Wise on their achievements, and to the Henley Arts Trail team on celebrating 20 years of supporting artists and creative communities.