Artist CV

Lucy Stevens is a multidisciplinary British contemporary artist based in Leicester. Her vibrant and coded mixed media artwoks explore our connection to the natural world.

Education and Qualifications

2006- 2007: MA Fine Art Nottingham Trent University School of Art & Design

2002- 2005: BA (Hons) Fine Art Nottingham Trent University School of Art & Design

Selected Solo Exhibitions and projects

2024: Sanctuary Doorway, Four laser cut wood and acrylic sculptures temporarily fixed to the main doors of St Saviour Church, Highbury, London

2024: A Beacon of Birds, mobile installation for Timber Festival at Feanedock Wood. Funded by The National Forest

2023: Bird Box Data, site-specific installation for Timber Festival, Feanedock Wood, The National Forest

2022-2023: Colour-Coded Birds, Leicester Museum, Leicester

2022: A Band of Birds & Insects, tree wrap installation for Timber Festival, Feanedock Wood, The National Forest

2022: End of Residency Exhibition, Bankside Hotel Artist Studio, London

2021: Chasing Seasons, StudionAme, Leicester

2021: Colony, Painted mural at StudionAme, artist studios and gallery in Leicester

2021: Peregrine Falcons. NTU Global, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham

2019: Bird Skins exhibition in collaboration with Bill Newsinger, Lightbox Gallery, Leicester.

2019: LCB Depot Showcase Prize Winner exhibition, LCB Depot, Leicester

2011: The End of the Line, Egg Box Messages and Under the Seine, CAMAC, France

2010: Don’t Shoot the Messenger, site-specific sound walk, Wirksworth Festival, Derbyshire

2009: Walk With Me, sound walk for the grounds of Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery

Selected Group Exhibitions and projects

2024: The Harley Open, Worksop, Nottinghamshire

2024: Sock Gallery, Loughborough, Leicestershire

2024: Cornucopia, Creative Melbourne Gallery, Melbourne, Derbyshire

2024: Leeds Summer Group Show, Leeds Playhouse, Leeds

2024: Summer group show, StudionAme, Leicester

2023 - 2024: The Art of Belonging, Bankside Hotel, London

2023: REJECTS exhibition with Art Friend, London

2023: Colour and Monochrome exhibition, Tarpey gallery, Castle Donington, Derby

2023: The Queen of Trees, painted sculptures on cut beech installed on trees as part of Up to the Beacon Sculpture Trail, Leicestershire

2023: Yellow Trail, creative way-finding project with Charnwood Arts at lower Beacon Hill, Leicestershire

2022: The Harley Open 2020, Welbeck, Worksop, Nottinghamshire

2022: Tarpey Gallery Open 2022, Castle Donington

2022: Long-listed for Aesthetica Art Prize, York Art Gallery

2022: #TheOtherAvatars NFT project led by Saatchi Art. Accessed online via OpenSea

2022: North Notts Nectar Trail bee sculpture. Sited in Tuxford, Nottinghamshire. Auctioned to raise money for Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Charity

2021 - 2022: @background_bob and his amazing friends – guess who’s back! Group exhibition at Firstsite, Essex

2021: Tarpey Gallery Open 2021, Castle Donington

2021: Leeds Summer group show, an online exhibition

2021: The Company of Artists, Leicester Contemporary, Leicester

2020 - 2021: Street Stories- Augmented Reality Art Trail, Leicester

2020: AR Extra- Augmented Reality Art Trail in Loughborough, Leicestershire

2020: SPEC 2 group exhibition, curated by Marcus Dove. Lightbox Gallery, Leicester

2020: The Harley Open 2020, Welbeck, Worksop, Nottinghamshire

2020: AR Extra exhibition in collaboration with Graff io, Lightbox Gallery, Leicester

2018 - 2020: De Montfort University StudionAme Stairwell in the VJ Patel building, Leicester

2018: Crowd Show at NN Contemporary Art, Northampton

2018: Brief Encounters Science and Art exhibition, Leicester Royal Infirmary Odames Library

2018: Our eARTh exhibition at Kunsthuis Gallery, North Yorkshire

2018: Animal Contemporary: ARTbound Community, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.

2017 – 2018: Walker & Bromwich: The Art Lending Library, The Gallery, De Montfort University, Leicester.

2017: Leicester: Memories of Industry exhibition, Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester

2015: Concrete Nature exhibition, Stamford Arts Centre, Lincolnshire.

2014: Passion2Print exhibition, LCB Depot, Leicester.

2014: Radioactive presents: Air Traffic, a collaboration with Esther Ainsworth, Balfron Tower, London

2014: Web of Water touring exhibition across Leicester, Nottingham and Derbyshire, The Atrium Gallery (ICCA), Carsington Water, Sharpes Pottery Museum, Artcore Gallery, Curve and Deda.

2014: Since 1843: In the Making, Bonington Building, Nottingham Trent University

2013: Museum Metamorphosis, the School of Museum Studies, University of Leicester.

2012: Nottingham Castle annual open exhibition

2007: A painted mural for ‘Bloom’, commission design for Royal Crown Hotel, Brussels

Performances and concerts

2023: Botanical Birdsong, collaboration with musicians, Botanical Gardens, University of Leicester, Leicester

2019: A Song For A: Wood Pigeon / Chiffchaff / Crow for the National Forest, Timber Festival

2017: Performing Industry, collaboration with musicians, Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester

2016: The Red Species List, collaboration with musicians, Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester

2015: Multi-channel sound concert, Hear This Space concert, New Walk Museum, Leicester

Public Art Collections

2024: ‘Air Pollution Exposure (Morning Commute)’ installed in the library at The University of Leicester.

2022: ‘Peregrine Falcons’ installed in The Global Lounge at Nottingham Trent University

2020: Yellowhammer (Mouse) and Great Tit (Navy Bean) purchased as part of The Leslie – Farquhar Bequest at the Victorian Gallery at Leicester Museum, Leicester.

Art Fairs

2024: The Other Art Fair, The Truman Brewery, London

2023: Affordable Art Fair: Battersea Park, London with Art Friend

2023: The Other Art Fair, London

2022: The Other Art Fair, London

2021: Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, London with StudionAme

2021: The Other Art Fair, London

2018-2019: Affordable Art Fair, Battersea Park, London with StudionAme

Memberships

2018 – present: Leicester Society of Artists

2015 – present: Leicester Print Workshop

Awards and Funding

2024: Awarded The Creswell Crags Solo Exhibition Prize at The Harley Open Exhibition

2023: SME UK Enterprise Award winner for Contemporary Artist of the Year 2023- Leicestershire

2022: Long-listed for the Aesthetica Art Prize 2022

2021: Invitation to judge Open 32: The People’s Exhibition at Leicester Museum

2021: Awarded a National Forest Arts Grant

2021: Awarded a National Lottery Project Grant from Arts Council England

2018: LCB Depot Showcase Winner, Open 29 exhibition, New Walk Museum, Leicester

2018: Art House Prize, Open 29 exhibition, New Walk Museum, Leicester

2018: The Henton Ellis Prize, LSA annual exhibition at New Walk Museum, Leicester.

2016: Leicester Print Workshop award, Midlands Printmakers Open, The Henderson Gallery, Nottingham.

2016: Van Haulin’ award, Midlands Printmakers Open, The Henderson Gallery, Nottingham.

2014: Awarded funding from Arts Council England as part of Grants for the Arts

2013: Shortlisted for The Attenborough Prize, Open 24 exhibition at New Walk Museum & Art Gallery

2012: First prize winner sponsorship from John E Wright, Open exhibition, Nottingham Castle

2007: MAstars award selected by Deborah Dean (Nottingham City Museums & Galleries) for Axis contemporary art online resource

Residencies 

2023-2024: Florence Trust based in a Grade 1 listed church, St Saviours in London

2022: Bankside X Contemporary Collective residency at Bankside Hotel, London

2021 - 2022: AA2A artist residency at Loughborough University

2018: Brief Encounters with Space Scientist Jonathan Nichols, University of Leicester.

2017 – 2018: AA2A artist residency at De Montfort University

2017: Cove Park artist residency, west coast of Scotland

2015: Fermynwoods Contemporary Art Sudborough Green Lodge, Northamptonshire.

2015: The Ugly Weekender with Dirty Electronics, Reactor Halls at Primary, Nottingham.

2014: Balfron Tower artist residency, London

2013: Ricklundgården, Northern Sweden

2011: CAMAC, Marnay-Sur-Seine, France

2009: Annual, The Collection Art Gallery, Lincolnshire

Presentations

2024: Lucy’s Art practice for Leicester Sketch Club

2023 and 2022: Sustaining an Arts Career, Loughborough University

2022: Birds as Creative Inspiration in collaboration with Pete Mantle for Bankside Hotel X Contemporary Collective Artist Residency

2019: Bird Skins solo exhibition artist talk, Lightbox Gallery, Leicester

2018: Visualising Research: Teenage Gannet foraging behaviour, Music Technology Innovation Postgraduate seminar, University of Leicester

2015: Visualising birdsong artist talk, School of Biological Sciences, University of Leicester

2014: New Networks for Nature conference, Stamford Arts Centre, Lincolnshire

2013: Synapse Arts artist talks, Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester

2013: Project Pigeon artist talk, The New Art Gallery Walsall, Birmingham

Community Projects and Workshops

2024: Sculpture workshops for Age UK’s Men and Women in Sheds, Loughborough in collaboration with The National Forest

2024: Sculpture workshops for Melton Art Space, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire

2024: Nature and wellbeing workshops delivered at Bradgate Park for Nottingham Community Housing Association

2024: Developing Your Visual Art Language workshop, Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester

2022 - 2024: Charnwood Arts Safe, Well, Happy learning-disabled adult social group arts workshops, Loughborough

2023: Yellow Trail, a creative way-finding project with Charnwood Arts Safe, Well, Happy learning-disabled adult group to create an accessible route for Lower Beacon Hill, Leicestershire

2023: Visualising Birdsong workshop, Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester

2022 - 2023: StudionAme Community arts workshops, StudionAme, Leicester

2022 - 2023: The Urban Forest workshops, The Rushes, Loughborough. Open to families and individuals of all ages and abilities

2022: Happy Mondays collage workshop for Loughborough University students

2022: Visualising Birdsong and Collage workshop, Bankside Hotel, London

2021: Natural High, birding and wellbeing guide in collaboration with the National Forest

Published work

2022: Future Now Aesthetica Art Prize 2022: 125 contemporary artists, p138-139.

2021: Background Bob & his amazing friend’s book, p.30.

2021: Chasing Seasons, The Quorndon Village Life Magazine (issue 103) August 2021. Cover and p.50 - 51.

2020: Murze Arts platform and magazine (issue 10).

2018: Our eARTh exhibition catalogue, Kunsthuis Gallery, North Yorkshire

2017: Memories of Industry exhibition catalogue, Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester.

2014: Since 1843: In the Making, Nottingham Trent University catalogue

2014: Artcore: Web of Water exhibition catalogue.

2013: Museum metamorphosis: The Adaptable and Changing Museum catalogue, University of Leicester

2009: Lucy Stevens Walk With Me catalogue, Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery featuring an essay by Joanne Lee.

Reviews and interviews

2023: Create! Blog Studio Sundays interview

2023: Muddy Stilettos interview for Colour Coded Birds exhibition

2021: Degree Art Meet the Artist interview

2020: CANVAS: A blog by Saatchi Art. Meet the Others interview.

2020: AR Extra review by graff.io arts

2019: Lucy Stevens and studio space StudionAme interview by the Stitch Writer.

2016: The Weekend Collective blog interview. 

2016: ‘How to … protect nature through performance‘, Arts professional online article.

2014: Drawing the sound of birdsong: a review by Lucy Stevens, Wildlife Sound: The Journal of the Wildlife Sound Recording Society, Volume 13, No 3 Spring 2014. p. 16 – 17

2009: Look and listen around the castle grounds by Katie Taylor, Nottinghamshire Today, April 2009, vol 45, p. 138- 139

2009: East Mids for free Walk With Me by Dan Davies, Metro newspaper, 8 April 2009 p. 22