Theme Resource Studio | London Young Artist

Learn About the Theme

The 2026 London Young Artist Award introduces this year’s theme: “Creating Tomorrow: Art for a Shared Future.”

We believe it is time to recognise the role of young artists in shaping a more sustainable and connected world. Through this theme, we invite participants to engage with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and explore how creativity can respond to the most pressing challenges of our time.

From climate action and sustainable cities to equality, education, and innovation, the SDGs provide a framework for understanding the future we are building together. Our goal is to inspire young artists to use their creative voices to reflect, question, and reimagine these global issues.

Today’s world is defined by complexity and interconnection. The challenges we face are not isolated, and neither are the solutions. This is why “Creating Tomorrow” focuses not only on imagining the future, but on understanding how it is shaped through individual actions, collective efforts, and creative thinking.

Art has the power to translate abstract global goals into meaningful human stories. It can make invisible issues visible, connect different perspectives, and inspire change.

Through this theme, we encourage participants to explore what a shared future means, and how their ideas, experiences, and creativity can contribute to building it.

Across the world, individuals and organisations are working in different ways to shape a more sustainable future.

From scientists developing new technologies, to communities driving social change, to designers rethinking how we live and consume, these efforts reflect the diverse ways in which the Sustainable Development Goals are being advanced. Innovation, collaboration, and everyday actions all play a role in creating meaningful impact.

Rather than focusing on a single issue, this year’s theme encourages you to look at the bigger picture. The challenges we face, such as climate change, inequality, access to education, and environmental sustainability, are deeply interconnected. The future is shaped through how we respond to these complexities.

Through your artwork, you are invited to explore these ideas. You may draw inspiration from real-world examples, personal experiences, or imagined futures. Consider how people, systems, and environments interact, and how change can happen at different levels.

We encourage you to think critically, create boldly, and express your own vision of a shared future. Your work can highlight challenges, propose possibilities, or simply offer a new way of seeing the world.

We look forward to seeing how you interpret and create tomorrow through your art.