Roche Court legacy continues with the Articulation Prize 2026 at the National Gallery, London

Articulation Prize 2026 Finalists. Photo credit: © Hydar Dewachi

The New Art Centre at Roche Court is a commercial gallery set in the rolling Wiltshire countryside, near Salisbury. Established by Lady Bessborough in Sloane Street, London, in 1958, the New Art Centre specialises in 20th and 21st – century art and sculpture. In 1974, Lady Bessborough and her husband relocated to Wiltshire, where they acquired Roche Court as a working farm. She became a pioneer in presenting sculpture within the landscape, playing a significant role in the early development of outdoor sculpture exhibitions in the UK.

The Roche Court Educational Trust was established by Madeleine in 2004, to enact her vision of inspiring young people to confidently and competently speak about art. The Articulation initiative was set up in 2006 as a competition in which young people produce a 10-minute presentation on an artwork. By 2009, Articulation had become a national competition, with the first national final adjudicated by Antony Gormley. With the help and vision of schools, universities and artists across the UK, Articulation grew exponentially, and it now continues under the umbrella of the National Gallery.

The 21st Articulation Prize took place on Tuesday 24 March in the new auditorium in the Sainsbury Wing at The National Gallery. The competition was judged by the Gallery’s director, Sir Gabriele Finaldi, alongside the author Ali Smith. It was a tremendous success. Over 1700 presentations were delivered as part of this year’s Articulation Prize England, culminating in 21 regional Prize events across the country. The winner was Jessie D from Shrewsbury School for her presentation on the Italian sculptor Giuseppe Penone and his work Sculture di Linfa (2007).

The event demonstrated how Articulation has grown since its origins at Roche Court Sculpture Park. It highlighted how young people today recognise the importance of beautiful objects, feel inspired to talk about them, and are eager to carry this legacy forward for future generations. Many of the competition heats were held at local museums across the country, encouraging students to recognise the significance of the high-quality artistic heritage found in these venues. This is something we would like to develop further by strengthening links with schools, helping students discover the treasures that exist in their local museums and art galleries.

We are also very proud that Roche continues to run a busy education programme. School visits provide ongoing support through tours and activities that guide students through the rich history of modern and contemporary works at Roche Court. These visits support teachers in delivering the school curriculum while inspiring students to take part in the Articulation Prize each year.

We are extremely grateful to our Board of Trustees, whose continued support for our educational programme has proved invaluable over the last two years. The board is sat by the following trustees:

Dr William Grant MA MEd PGCE FRSA FCCT is Associate Director of Postgraduate Taught Studies in the School of Arts, UWE Bristol.

Olivia Warham MBE is the Head of Fundraising at Not Beyond Redemption and was previously Chair of the charity Waging Peace.

Emma Goltz MBA is Chairwoman of the Studio Voltaire Development Committee and Board of Trustees.

We are delighted to share that Evelyne Rugg, who manages the Estate of her late husband, the artist Matt Rugg, shall be joining the board. Evelyne read Art History at the University of Manchester and taught at Chelsea School of Art. She has yielded much experience from educational environments and institutions, nationally and internationally. Notably at the University of Westminster, London and Trinity College London.

The Roche Court Educational Trust is an independent charity, which is reliant on voluntary donations for all of its funding. We would like to ask you to consider supporting our vital educational work by making a donation, or by becoming a Friend or Benefactor.