The 2022 Samuel Ross Black British Artist Grant Recipients Announced

As if there wasn't a better way to celebrate Black History Month; the British designer behind London-based brand A-COLD-WALL*, Samuel Ross, has just announced the recipients of this year’s Samuel Ross Black British Artist Grant Programme. The annual program was established in 2020 to highlight, champion, and foster a community of emerging black creatives in the UK. Applicants are reviewed by a who’s who of British talent comprising the advisory board made up of designer Grace Wales Bonner, curator and cultural history Dr Gus Casely Hayford, and Ross himself. As the fourth instalment of the programme, grants are giving across creative disciplines including fashion, fine art and sculpture, illustration, industrial design, architecture, and photography.

This year the fashion recipients are Cameron Williams and Torisheju Dumi.Williams is a Central Saint Martins graduate who has already caught the attention of Machine-A’s Stavros Karelis, who handpicked the emerging talent as part of the iconic Soho store’s Graduate Project 2021 scheme. The unisex label is an exploration of identity and innovation and counts Machine-A as a stockist. Dumi is also a CSM graduate who was recently selected for the Sarabande scholarship by photographer Sølve Sundsbø. Their latest capsule collection, MAMI WATA, was handmade using headstock cotton and silk.

Under the fine art and sculpture category includes Rochelle Nembhard, Ebun Sodipo, Aaron Kudi and Rhea Dillon. The remaining grants include illustration for Habib Hajallie, industrial design and architecture for Issi Nanbeyin and photography for Jebi Ndimuntoh. Each of the winners will not only receive a £2,500 GBP grant but also a mentorship from Ross and the aforementioned advisory board to support their ongoing work, giving them a much needed boost in continuing to create a name for themselves in their respective fields.