Fifty Years of the Stevens

The Stevens Competition has been a springboard for emerging stained glass artists for fifty years. Now run by the Worshipful Company of Glaziers it has launched the careers of may promising artists.

Congratulations to all the winners of the 2022 Stevens Competition. The brief was to design a window commemorating Wilfred Owen in a church in Dunsden. The winning artist, Caroline Small, received £2,000 and was named Architectural Glass Artist of the Year 2022. She also won the prize for Craftsmanship.

As usual, the competition and commission are two separate opportunities with the Stevens judges looking for how well the artists respond to the brief, artistic intention, design skills and presentation, amongst other things. The clients bring their own decision making process to a shortlist of entries. Last year the parish of All Saints, Dunsden, were invited to vote for their favourite design and chose Natasha Redina’s uplifting design.

The brief for 2023 has already been announced. It for a major office development that the Mercers’ Company is currently constructing in the City of London. Emerging artist and students are invited to design two screens for the reception area. The prestigious commission will be constructed in collaboration with the artist and the commissioned artist will receive £3,000 for their designs with the Mercers’ Company paying for the fabrication. The closing date for the competition is Thursday 12th January 2023 so there is still time to enter. To download the brief click here.

The Stevens Competition is marking it’s 50th anniversary with an exhibition of past winners at The Stained Glass Museum in Ely. The exhibition includes a charming early work by our senior Fellow, Alfred Fisher, and one by a young Harry Harvey. It closes on August 6th 2022 so don’t miss it!