The Northern Art Prize has announced an eclectic longlist for it's inaugral prize

A longlist of artists has been selected for the Northern Art Prize, a new £16,000 arts award for artists based in the North of England.

24 artists based in a variety of cities and towns in the North - from Sheffield to Newcastle - have been nominated by 12 leading curators from the North West, the North East and Yorkshire.

The list is an eclectic roll of practitioners whose work takes in painting, photography, installation, video and performance.

An early example of the art of Linder Sterling, currently showing in Panic Attack - Art in the Punk Years at London's Barbican Gallery. Linder, Untitled, 1977. Courtesy Stuart Shave/Modern Art, London

Included is Morecambe-based multimedia and performance artist Linder Sterling whose work was featured in the 2006 Tate Triennial and the current Barbican exhibition about art in the punk years and artist group Owl Project from Salford, who explore the sonic properties of woodwork.

Newcastle-based Graham Dolphin has also made the longlist; he is currently enjoying his first solo show at Gateshead’s BALTIC. Sheffield artist Dan Holdsworth, whose At the Edge of Space explored the limits of space and photography at the National Maritime Museum in 2006, is also featured.

“We’re really pleased with the longlisted artists for 2007,” said Pippa Hale, Director of the Northern Art Prize. “There’s a great range of practices and media represented and it just goes to show how much talent there is in the north. Identifying a short list is going to prove a real challenge for our judges.”

The Owl Project, Log1K. From a recent show exploring artistic duos at Brighton's Phoenix Gallery. Courtesy Owl Project

A panel of four judges including Wakefield-born Turner Prize winner Martin Creed, now have the job of whittling down the longlist to a shortlist of four, which will be announced in September 2007.

The four will then have their work exhibited at the newly refurbished Leeds Art Gallery from November 22 2007 until February 10 2008, with the winner being announced on January 17 2008.

Joining Creed in the decision-making process will be Tate Collection curator Ann Gallagher; The Independent’s art critic, Tom Lubbock; together with collector, independent curator and Turner Prize judge, Greville Worthington.

Dan Holdsworth, Hyperborea, Untitled 6. © Dan Holdsworth / STORE, London

The first prize winner will receive £16,500 with each runner up scooping a consolatory £1,500.

The new prize is for contemporary artists of any age living in the North West, North East and Yorkshire. Based in Leeds, it has received financial backing from Arup designers, Logistik Ltd and Leeds City Council.