YORK artists Thomas Rimmington and Freya Horsley and rising Ryedale talent Sally Taylor have been short-listed from the 232 entries for the inaugural New Lights Arts Award.

They are among 24 northern artists selected to compete for the £10,000 prize by a panel of independent judges representing the arts world.

The 2011 award is named the Valeria Sykes Prize, after the main sponsor, and was open to artists aged 23 to 35 who either live or gained an arts degree in the north of England.

In all, 65 paintings by the winning and short-listed entries will run at the Mercer Art Gallery, Swan Road, Harrogate, from September 24 to January 8 next year in a show co-ordinated by Jane Sellars, the gallery’s curator of art.

The winner will be announced on September 22 and the award will combine the £10,000 prize with guidance and mentoring from professional Harrogate artist Emerson Mayes.

The New Lights judges are Kate Brindley, director of Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (Mima), who is a national advisor for the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Art Funding Programme; Paul Hobson, director of the Contemporary Arts Society; and international artist William Tillyer, from Middlesbrough. They were asked to short-list artists they reckoned to have the most potential to succeed professionally, measured by commercial and critical criteria.

“It’s fantastic to see such a great response to the prize and see such variety of practice in the region,” says Kate.

Championing northern art, William says: “I felt that there was ability in abundance which this prize will certainly help to foster.”

Paul concurs: “It was very exciting to see such a diverse range of submissions, many of which were technically accomplished and some highly individual works.”

The shortlist comprises Freya Horsley; Thomas Rimmington; Sally Taylor; Holly Major, Scarborough; Naomi Wrigglesworth, Leeds; Nat Quinn, Lyndsey Jameson, Darlington; Lisa Robinson, Wakefield; Monica Metsers, Kendal; Sean Penlington, Manchester; Matthew Child, Warrington; Julian Mably, Conisbrough; Matthew Thompson, Huddersfield; Cecilia Stenbom, Karl De Vroomen, Gateshead; William Bradley, Richmond; Matt Spencer, Carnforth; Alexander Charrington, Mike Pratt, Ally Morton, Francesca Hudson, all Newcastle; and Michael Lawton, Jamie Taylor, Hayley Harrison, London.

The award’s originator and chief executive of New Lights, Annette Petchey, says: “The north has a rich, artistic heritage, being home to many acclaimed artists and world-class gallery spaces.

However, its young, aspiring artists face increasing difficulties in establishing themselves professionally due to the dominance of the London and south east, so this new biennial award is a wonderful opportunity for them to showcase their work to a wider audience.”

Gallery opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, Sundays, 2pm to 5pm, closed Mondays except Bank Holidays. Please note, from November to March, the closing time will be 4pm. Admission is free.

• NEW Lights Arts Award short-list nominee Sally Taylor is exhibiting a new series of drawings at the Ryedale Folk Museum, Hutton-le-Hole, near Pickering, until October 23. Under the title of Sally Taylor: All Say The Same, she is showing a series of 20 new book-jacket drawings alongside other large-scale works. Daily opening times are 10am to dusk; admission free.