Guthrie and Pope. © the artists

Collaborating artist Nina Pope and Karen Guthrie have won the inaugural Northern Art Prize for their work as ‘Somewhere’.

The new £16,500 award was announced at a ceremony on January 17 at Leeds Art Gallery, and presented by Turner-winning artist Martin Creed.

“We were struck by the ambition of Pope and Guthrie’s vision, and by their witty, entertaining engagement with history,” said the judges.

“They clearly enjoy the work they do, telling stories that provoke interest with a broad audience. Whilst we felt that Pope and Guthrie’s work was extremely strong, all of the artists shortlisted for the Prize were of outstanding quality and the judges would like to thank the artists for being part of this new prize.”

Pope and Guthrie, based in Coniston/London and Coniston respectively, adopt roles in docu-drama films, varying from Tudor artists to tour guide hostesses on a bus journey from the UK to the Czech Republic.

In one of their winning films, the duo, who call themselves ‘Somewhere’, challenge shoe entrepreneur Tomas Bata’s premise ‘We are not afraid of the future’. The 2005 feature-length film, Bataville, gives a voice to peripheral sections of society and value to the kitsch. Their second film, Living with the Tudors (2006-07), explores the culture of re-enactment societies. Footage is taken from pinhole cameras, video diaries and cameras buried within costumes.

Dan Holdsworth, Hyperborea 6. © Dan Holdsworth

'Somewhere' beat three other shortlisted artists all based in cities in the north. Sculptor Eric Bainbridge (Hartlepool), Tim Brennan, who works in manoeuvres and interventions (Sunderland), and photographic artist Dan Holdsworth (Darlington). Each of the three runners up received £1,500.

The judging panel, which included Creed, made their decision on the afternoon before the award ceremony after looking once more at the works of the four shortlisted artists and collaborators on show at Leeds Art Gallery. Other judges were Ann Gallagher (Head of Collection, British Art, Tate), Tom Lubbock (art writer for the Independent), Greville Worthington (collector and independent curator), and the chair was Nigel Walsh (Curator of Contemporary Art at Leeds Art Gallery).

The shortlisted works will be on show until February 10 2008 at the gallery.

“The Northern Art Prize has created a terrific buzz around the city and a momentum that will continue to grow in future years,” commented Cllr John Proctor, Executive Board Member for Leisure, Leeds City Council. “We’re very proud to host the first Northern Art Prize at Leeds Art Gallery, a venue that has a long-held association with contemporary art.”

The Prize has been supported by design and communication agency Logistik, Leeds City Council, and business and design consultants Arup with additional support from Arts & Business Yorkshire.

For more information about the Prize, see www.northernartprize.org.uk.