William Braithwaite, New Contemporaries 2025/2026 artist on Yorkshire’s inspiring sculpture scene and the collaborative energy of New Contemporaries

From Yorkshire’s inspiring sculpture scene to the collaborative energy of New Contemporaries, William Braithwaite reflects on the experiences, influences, and lessons that continue to shape his practice – and shares why persistence and commitment are essential for early-career artists.

Being part of New Contemporaries has been an incredibly rewarding experience. We had the opportunity to meet as a cohort a few months before the exhibition, which allowed us to get to know one another and build a sense of connection early on.

The cohort was very diverse, with artists coming from a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines. This created a rich environment for discussion, with lots of meaningful conversations and exchanges of ideas.

One of the most interesting aspects for me was seeing how my sculpture was installed and experienced in my absence. It’s quite a strange but valuable process to step back and allow others to interpret and position your work.

I’ve also learnt a lot from observing how different works relate to each other in a shared space. That kind of dialogue between artworks is something you can’t fully anticipate until it happens. On a personal level, I’ve also made strong connections and friendships, which is an important part of building a sustainable practice.

I’ve always enjoyed making and building things. Early on, I developed practical skills such as welding and woodworking, which naturally led me towards working with materials in a more creative way.

My background in fabrication, particularly in metalwork and welding, has had a significant influence on my practice. Learning these skills first gave me a deep understanding of materials—their strengths, limitations, and possibilities.

My practice centres on repetition, process, and formation, with a particular focus on the relationship between sculpture and architecture. I’m interested in how sculptural forms can echo, interrupt, or extend architectural space, creating a dialogue between the two disciplines. The work often evolves through making, where repetition becomes both a method and a way of understanding material and structure. Through this, I explore how forms are constructed, and how they occupy and define space.

I’m particularly interested in works that exist in public or semi-public spaces, where they can engage directly with architecture and landscape.I’m currently preparing work for a permanent sculpture at the underwater Museum of Art Florida USA. It’s an exciting opportunity to think about sculpture in a completely different environment, where the work will interact with marine life and natural processes over time. Alongside that, I’m working towards a collaborative opportunity with the Royal Society of Sculptors as well as a solo exhibition at Twilight Contemporary.

I am from Yorkshire and it has a strong and supportive art scene, particularly for sculpture. The Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle is a key highlight, bringing together major institutions in the region such as Yorkshire Sculpture Park, The Hepworth Wakefield, Henry Moore Institute and Leeds Art Gallery.

These spaces offer an excellent opportunity to see both historical and contemporary sculpture at a high level, and they play an important role in supporting artists working in the region and in developing my own practice as a sculptor.

Give it everything. If you don’t commit fully, someone else will.

Beyond that, stay consistent, keep developing your work, and take every opportunity to show it. Building a practice takes time, but persistence and dedication are key.