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Congratulations and well done to our two Year 13 artists, Ritika and Victoria, who were selected as finalists for the prestigious Sovereign Art Foundation London Student Prize, with their works exhibited at Phillips Auction House, Berkeley Square in the heart of Mayfair, from Tuesday 9 to Friday 12 December 2025.

Ritika described the experience as deeply meaningful, explaining how powerful it felt to stand in front of a piece she had invested so much time, effort, and thought into. She reflected, saying:

"Standing in front of my own work in that setting allowed me to appreciate the process and the challenges that brought it to life. The opportunity also taught me the importance of critique, learning to listen to how others interpret your work, and understanding how thoughtful feedback shapes you into a stronger and more reflective artist."

Her work, which is a 3D piece made from lit, hollow collage cyanotypes coated in crystal gel, explores fragmented narratives and the “blueprint” of shattered stories, how memories and experiences can break, overlap, and reform into something new. This incredible opportunity to go beyond the curriculum and grasp hold of opportunities, came through Miss Chance, Faculty Leader of Art at Westminster City School. Ritika, added:

 "Studying Art A-Level at Westminster City School's Sixth Form has been one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. The teachers and resources have supported me through everything, even in moments when I lost belief in myself, they were always there to help me move forward. The entire creative faculty, including the technicians, have played such a big role too; no matter how ambitious or “crazy” my ideas were, they always helped me bring them to life."

Victoria, who also made it to the final, described what it’s like to have her work exhibited. She said:

"It’s extremely fulfilling to see my own work being observed by people from numerous different locations, and it really reinforced my passion for pursuing a creative career. My piece explored implicit emotion, specifically sadness, inspired by Picasso’s 'Blue Period', and it was very personal to me as it featured a portrait of my little cousin, and it was also my very first canvas painting."

“I can definitely say that my Sixth Form journey at Westminster City School has been an extremely exciting experience, thanks to the different opportunities that I have been able to access through the school, such as the residential trip with the Grimshaw Foundation and the seven-month Open City Accelerate Programme.”

Both students plan to pursue undergraduate degrees in Architecture once they have completed their A-Levels in 2026. Ritika joined Westminster City School's Sixth Form after finishing her GCSEs at Bentley Wood High School for Girls, while Victoria joined from St Martin-in-the-Fields High School for Girls.

About The Sovereign Art Foundation

The Sovereign Art Foundation (SAF) is a charitable organisation that was founded in 2003 with a well-defined twin focus: to recognise the growing wealth of contemporary art talent in Asia and bring the proven benefits of expressive arts to disadvantaged children. The Sovereign Art Foundation Students Prizes are annual awards that celebrate the importance of art in the education system and recognise the quality of artworks produced by secondary-school students across the world.