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Coventry University students working with resident artist to create sculpture for solo exhibition
Artist Charmaine Watkiss will be a resident artist at Coventry University
University news / Student news
Tuesday 03 February 2026
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Students and staff at Coventry University will be helping an acclaimed artist create her latest sculpture for a solo exhibition.
Charmaine Watkiss will work alongside students from the university’s Fine Art course to bring the artwork to life before it takes pride of place at The New Art Gallery Walsall.
The installation will feature in a solo exhibition by Watkiss entitled The Things we Hold Sacred which will be on display from October 2026. The commission – which has been funded by a grant through Jerwood Art Fund Commissions - will then enter Walsall’s Collections and can be shared with generations to come.
Charmaine, who is best known for her research-based drawing practice which focuses on plant knowledge passed through generations of Caribbean families, has work in collections in iconic venues such as the British Museum in London and will work as a resident artist at Coventry University, benefitting from the facilities and expertise available.
Students will witness the development and production of the commission which will help prepare them for life as an artist after graduating.
This is an exceptional opportunity for our staff and students to collaborate closely with The New Art Gallery Walsall and with such an innovative and exciting artist as Charmaine. By being actively involved in the commissioning process – from early development through to production and exhibition – our students gain invaluable insight into contemporary approaches to making work, helping to prepare them for future careers in the creative industries.
Dr Sam Vale, Curriculum Lead for Creative Practice at Coventry University
Funding for the sculpture has come from a £71,226 Jerwood Art Fund Commission grant.
I am super excited and thankful to be afforded this opportunity to create new ambitious works that would not be possible otherwise. I am really looking forward to experimenting with materials and benefiting from the university’s expertise to realise my ideas for the work.
Artist Charmaine Watkiss
We are so grateful to Jerwood and the Art Fund for facilitating this opportunity for Charmaine to create an ambitious new sculptural work for her major solo exhibition at the Gallery and for making it possible for this undoubtedly significant work to enter our collections.
Stephen Snoddy, Director at The New Art Gallery Walsall
Jerwood Art Fund Commissions offer a rare opportunity for museums to offer fully funded commissions to exciting artists for ambitious projects. With access to the facilities and expertise of Coventry University, Charmaine will be able to develop her artistic practice at a key moment in her career.
We look forward to audiences experiencing the work for themselves at The New Art Gallery Walsall later this year. We are delighted to help bring the first sculptural installation by the artist into a UK collection thanks to our partnership with Jerwood Foundation.
Jenny Waldman, Director at Art Fund
I am delighted that Charmaine has been awarded a Jerwood Art Fund Commission, which will enable her to realise an epic new sculptural installation. This unique partnership with Art Fund, now in its second year, continues to benefit our national collections and their visitors and underlines Jerwood Foundation’s long-standing commitment to excellence and emerging talent in the arts in the UK.
Lara Wardle, Executive Director and Trustee at Jerwood Foundation
Find out more about studying art and creative courses at Coventry University.
