Heather Horsley Shortlisted for VAA Art100 International 2026

Derby-based artist Heather Horsley has been shortlisted for the VAA Art100 International 2026, an international art prize celebrating 100 of the most promising and visionary artists worldwide. The shortlist recognises work selected from an exceptionally competitive field of entries, with the final 100 artists due to be announced this December. Horsley entered two sets of triptychs for consideration. Although she is not yet certain which works caught the judges’ attention, she has submitted both sets for the next stage of the prize. 

As a shortlisted artist, Heather has already begun the VAA Creative Accelerator Bootcamp, an intensive professional-development session focused on growing an art business and strengthening professional practice. She will also join the VAA Accountability Programme on Thursday 29 October, a three-session programme designed to support consistent creative habits and a sustainable career. 

She has also joined the VAA’s online community, which she describes as “an invaluable platform for business development, offering resources, worksheets, and creative challenges” that support her new direction in abstract art. 

If Horsley progresses to the final 100, she will receive inclusion in the printed VAA Art100 Industry Book, which will be distributed to collectors, galleries, and art-industry professionals worldwide. Finalists will also be considered for the VAA Art100 International Auction, held in partnership with The Auction Collective in February 2027, alongside additional online profiling and an achievement certificate.heatherhorsley+1 

For Horsley, the recognition is both exciting and affirming: a sign that her bold move into abstraction is resonating on an international stage.