The Helen Keller International Award

In this section:

Helen Keller International Award returns to Glasgow

A flyer for the Helen Keller International Award launch

Dates: 4th April – 4th May 2009

Two Exhibition Venues:

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (Café Bar and Mezzanine Galleries), 2 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3NY

Additional work displayed at Sense Scotland’s TouchBase resource; Milnpark Street entrance (between Portman St. & Middlesex St.), Kinning Park Glasgow G41 1EE

Concert Hall opening times: Monday – Saturday 10am - 5pm; Sunday openings vary so call ahead on telephone: 0141 353 8000

TouchBase is open: Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm Free entry to both venues

This year, the judges are:

Pauline McLean – Arts Correspondent

Monica Callaghan – Head of Education, Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery

Amanda Catto – Head of Visual Arts, Scottish Arts Council

Keith Salmon – an artist who has a visual impairment

The 8th Helen Keller International Award, runs at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and TouchBase in Kinning Park. The judges will reveal the shortlisted artists at the exhibition launch on Saturday 4th April 12 noon. The winning work will then be announced at an awards ceremony on Saturday 18th April. Run by charity Sense Scotland, the exhibition features work from across the world that aims to challenge perceptions of deafblindness and sensory impairment. Sense Scotland works with people who have communication support needs because of deafblindness, sensory impairment, learning and physical disabilities.

The Helen Keller International Award: funded and supported by ITV, the Scottish Arts Council and Glasgow’s Concert Halls.

Prizes for Helen Keller International Award:

The Helen Keller International Award winner receives a specially designed trophy and cheque for £1500.

Two Highly Commended Runners Up receive the E.D.G.D. Fairfull-Smith and the G.W. Fairfull-Smith Awards and a cheque for £200.

Under 16s winner receives the Neil Fairfull-Smith Award and £100; there are two runners up.

Helen Keller trophy design competition: Sense Scotland service users were invited to enter a competition to design 6 award trophies, which will now be presented at each Helen Keller International Award. The winning designs are:

The E.D.G.D. Fairfull-Smith Awards:

Main award: Felicity Smith, The Camel

Keepsake award: Ann Neeson, Poppy

The G.W. Fairfull-Smith Awards:

Main Award: Maria Getty, Tree

Keepsake Award: Ghazalla Akram, Water

Neil Fairfull-Smith Awards:

Main Award - Ian Johnstone, Falling Leaves

Keepsake Award - Amir Asnafzadeh, Leaves

Previous Helen Keller Award Winners

7th Helen Keller Award

The winning piece was 'Love Colour' - Light, Wood and Perspex, an illuminated heart of bright colour and flashing lights. The winner was Yvonne Larkin, an artist from East Kilbride who is supported by Sense Scotland.

Winner of the under sixteen category - 'Deaf Blind People' - Poster Paint - Hannah Duncan (Scotland)

6th Helen Keller Award

The winner was Welsh artist Matthew Humphreys, whose film 'The Lost Reels' was a moving piece about his father who was deaf and then became blind. This award received over 220 entries from 9 countries and exhibited in the Collins Gallery.

5th Helen Keller Award

The winning entry came from Gill Horn for her piece titled 'I don't know' which comprised of a series of heads with veils, glasses and headphones offering a very direct look at deafblindness, with some subtle touches such as hand written Braille round the veils. Over 180 artists entered and exhibited in the Kelvingrove Gallery.

4th Helen Keller Award

The winning entry came from Joseph Fenton for an acrylic painting. Peter Howson donated a pastel drawing, the auction of which raised £1,300 for Sense's Arts Development Programme. Around 90 entries were received and the exhibition was held in Kelvingrove Art Gallery.

3rd Helen Keller Award

The winning entry came from the Sense West Sculpture Group who produced a collaborative work made by six deafblind artists based in Birmingham. Around 80 entries were received and the exhibition was held in the Mackintosh Room at the Glasgow School of Art. The award was presented by Princess Anne.

2nd Helen Keller Award

Lewis Scott, an artist who is supported by Sense Scotland, won with a painting which was bought by Glasgow City Council and is displayed in Scotland Street Museum.

1st Helen Keller Award

This was the first Sense Scotland, Helen Keller Award. Paul Somerville, then aged 9, won the first award with a painting titled 'Me'. Around 60 works were received.

Links to sites of interest

Helen Keller

7th Helen Keller International Award Winner and Gallery

The 8th Helen Keller International Award is presented by Sense Scotland

Arts and Wellbeing

Sense Scotland
43 Middlesex Street
Kinning Park
Glasgow G41 1EE

Tel:    +44 (0)141 429 0294
Fax:    +44 (0)141 429 0295
Text:   +44 (0)141 418 7170