A Milton Keynes art organisation, in partnership with MK Community Foundation, have awarded the first 2024 arts bursary to emerging young artists.
Offset Projects, an arts organisation, in partnership with MK Community Foundation, are thrilled to announce Maheen Sheikh as the winner of the Stephen Groom Memorial arts bursary.
The arts bursaries are designed for young artists aged 15-25 from MK and provide financial support to help recipients develop their artistic practice. The Stephen Groom Memorial Bursary has been awarded to Maheen to acknowledge the authenticity, experimentation, and honesty reflected in her work. It also recognises the way she challenges herself and others to look at the world.
Maheen is a mixed-media artist whose work focuses on her personal healing journey, by exploring the inner child, the inner teenager and major life events that have affected her. She plans to use the bursary to maintain her studio space, take ceramics classes, invest in lino-printing tools and connect with her cultural heritage.
Maheen also plans to use her bursary to rent out a queer exhibition space in London to showcase her work and said, “Winning this bursary is a huge honour. It will allow me to focus on my art without the burden of financial stress. I am particularly excited to explore new art materials and work towards a research visit to my homeland, Pakistan. Having never been outside of the UK, the experience will enable me to view the word from another perspective, work outside of my comfort zone, and inspire my future work.”
Co-director of Offset Projects, Victoria Gibb said, “Maheen’s work is a powerful exploration of identity and self-discovery. We are excited to see how the bursary will enable her to build upon her recent work, by exploring her rich cultural heritage and new forms of art making.”
Jake, Philanthropy Manager at MK Community Foundation said, “We are proud to be partnering with Offset Projects to deliver this opportunity for local artists. Maheen is a deserving recipient, and we can’t wait to see how she develops in her arts career.”
