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From Porthleven to Bath: 2026 Porthleven Prize exhibition comes to BSU's Locksbrook Campus

Thursday, 22 October, 2026

An exhibition opening in ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s Locksbrook Campus on Thursday 22 October will celebrate the winners of the 2026 Porthleven Prize. 

The exhibition, titled Sâwn/Zawn – a geological term derived from a Cornish word for a steep coastal cliff face – explores various reactions and responses to the town of Porthleven and features work by eight BSU students studying across a range of disciplines. 

Now in its thirteenth year, the Porthleven Prize – supported by the Trevor Osborne Charitable Trust – is an established BSU institution. Open to students from all courses and year groups, the prize offers a two-part residency model: a three-day programme in and around Bath for twenty students, followed by a fully funded 14-day residency in Porthleven, Cornwall for eight selected finalists. 

Talking about her experience in Porthleven, MA Nature and Travel Writing student Emma de Heveningham said: 

"The Porthleven Prize is a brilliant opportunity to collaborate with students across different disciplines. Spending time together in Porthleven gave us all a chance to create work beyond our usual practice, and to engage with the community to learn about the village's history, myths and mysteries. It's great to be able to transport a little of Porthleven back to BSU this autumn." 

This year's Porthleven Prize exhibition will launch as part of the University's Locksbrook Lates event series, offering an evening of activities and performances alongside the opening of the showcase exhibition, featuring work by: 

• Jake Cooper (MA Fine Art) 
• Carla Cohen-De-Villafranca (MA Creative Writing) 
• Bon Churcher-Owen (MA Design – Visual Communication) 
• Jonti Allinson-Epps (MA Fine Art) 
• Fleur Jones (BA Fine Art) 
• Emma de Heveningham (MA Nature and Travel Writing) 
• Ava Berriman (BA Fine Art) 
• Leah Harwood (BA creative writing) 

Simone Hesselberg, Creative Producer and Porthleven Prize Coordinator, said: 

“This year, the Porthleven Prize changed format, moving the first part of the programme from Porthleven to Bath. Although we couldn’t know how it would turn out, Academic Lead Kellie Hindmarch and I were delighted to see the prize’s methods, rooted in socially engaged and site-specific practice, translate so well to a new place.  

"Guided by these methods, the 2026 finalists have made works that explore Porthleven as a site and also their own provenance and sense of belonging. We’re so proud of what they’ve achieved and can’t wait to celebrate with them at the opening of their showcase.” 

Sâwn/Zawn is at BSU's Locksbrook Campus and open to the public from Friday 23 October to Friday 6 November (Mon-Fri only, 10am-5pm). 

Applications for the 2027 Porthleven Prize are now open. Find out more about the Porthleven Prize.