HENLEY FESTIVAL TO CHAMPION NEXT GENERATION OF ARTISTS WITH EXCLUSIVE AUDI X RISE SILENT AUCTION

Henley-on-Thames, 30 June 2023: Henley Festival Presented by Westcoast – the UK’s only boutique black-tie festival – is delighted to announce the launch of the Audi X RISE Silent Auction, in support of the Festival’s charitable programme nurturing the next generation of talent: RISE.

The RISE visual artists exhibiting their work in the Audi High RISE Gallery at this year’s Henley Festival – Keren Golea, Sara Hoque and Sam Smyth – have each created beautiful, exclusive artworks for the Audi X RISE Silent Auction, with the proceeds of the Auction given to these artists.

The Audi X RISE Silent Auction will run from Friday 30 June (1000hrs BST) until Monday 10 July (1700hrs BST). Bids can be submitted by email (including full name, mobile number, the bid amount and applicable lot number to office@AudiUKVIP.co.uk with “Audi X RISE Artists Auction Bid” in the subject) or at Henley Festival 2023, which returns to the stunning riverside in Henley-on-Thames from Wednesday 5 July – Sunday 9 July with an unforgettable celebration of international music and arts. Audi is the Festival’s official car partner, and a key supporter of the RISE initiative, which nurtures the next generation of talent by giving a platform to young musicians, comedians and visual artists taking their first steps on stage, as well as offering opportunities for young people aspiring to work behind the scenes.

The Lots in the Audi x RISE Silent Auction are:

Lot 1 | ‘Dare’ by Keren Golea (Oil on canvas, 1.27 x1.55 metres)

A captivating piece from the Beauty In Perspective series. An allegorical representation of beauty, resilience, boldness, and influence. An invitation to embrace one’s true self.

Keren Golea is a UK-based Filipino artist specialising in realistic portrait paintings created with charcoal, pastels, watercolours, and oils. Keren said: “Initiatives like RISE provide vital support, recognition and opportunities for artists and ensure the continued growth and diversity of the arts. RISE encourages artists to think outside the box but most importantly, it provides opportunities for artists to showcase their work, gain exposure, and increase their visibility within the community.”

Lot 2 | ‘Place in Time’ by Sara Hoque (Mixed media on Canvas, 1.9 x 1.4 metres)

Experiences in nature which present themselves in hues and motifs to mimic transcendental moments. 

Sara Hoque is a North Yorkshire born, London based artist whose multi-cultural upbringing inspires her acrylic and collaged images that capture the spirit of nature through ephemeral landscapes. Sara said: “It’s a really great opportunity for me as an emerging artist trying to find my way in the art world. It’s really difficult to put yourself out there and find spaces to exhibit your art, especially if you don’t have a lot of money, so initiatives like RISE are really good for artists such as myself.”

Lot 3 | ‘Boketto’ by Sam Smyth(Acrylic on canvas, 2 x 1.45 metres)

When viewed from a distance, the vertical lines of this painting blend with adjacent colours in a process known as optical colour mixing, an illusion made famous by the French post-impressionists.

Sam Smyth is a South West based British abstract painter working in the traditions of geometric abstraction and hard-edge painting to create murals, light installations and kinetic sculptures. Smyth has also designed a bespoke wrap for the all-electric Audi Q8 e-tron, which will be on display at Henley Festival. Sam said: “RISE has given me an opportunity to show work to a new audience, which is always a good thing, and I’ve come out of it with some new work.”

The Audi x RISE Silent Auction forms part of Henley Festival’s pioneering visual arts showcase, which sees the green banks of the riverside in Henley-on-Thames adorned with a breath-taking array of outdoor art installations and pop-up Festival galleries showcasing pieces by some of the UK’s most renowned creators, as well as the next generation of talent taking part in the Festival’s charitable initiative RISE.

For further information on the Audi X RISE Silent Auction, please visit: www. henley-festival.co.uk/artist/audi-x-rise-silent-auction/.

HENLEY FESTIVAL 2023: FULL LINE-UP

FLOATING STAGE HEADLINERS

RAG’N’BONE MAN | WESTLIFE | NILE RODGERS & CHIC

MINISTRY OF SOUND CLASSICAL with DANNY RAMPLING

BEN PORTSMOUTH: THIS IS ELVIS performing in The Club

And on Sunday…

THE KANNEH-MASON TRIO in The Spiegel Tent

RONNIE SCOTTS and VANESSA HAYNES present ARETHA FRANKLIN: QUEEN OF SOUL

BONEY M with LIZ MITCHELL the original lead singer and 15-piece band

COMEDY in the Spiegel Tent & Riverside

MARCUS BRIGSTOCKE | JO BRAND | CHRIS MCCAUSLAND | ADAM KAY | JACK DEE

RISE by HENLEY FESTIVAL

Creating opportunities for emerging talent to learn, perform and flourish

JOSHUA KYEOT | JAMIE COOKE | MYCHELLE | LEO | SASSY HAMMERSLEY 

HORSES ON THE BEACH | LOUISE PARKER | LOUIS CARDOZO | BEE ARNOLD

JAZZ & SWING in the Spiegel Tent & Jazz Club

ROBYN | BOULEVARD | PALACE AVENUE | HOLDER & SMITH | CASA 

ROBIN PORTER & ROB BROCKWAY | NATTY CONGEROO & THE FLAMES OF RHYTHM

KATIE SHARP | CHARLOTTE CAMPBELL | TRIONIQ

WORLD & FOLK in the Bedouin Tent

JOHN JAMES NEWMAN | BLOC OFF THE WALL | TOM SPEIGHT | EDDIE & THE MURPHYS

AMBER PROTHERO | RICHIE QUAIN TRIO | MARIO BAKUNA | CINELLI BROTHERS | VALNTNA

VISUAL ARTS

TOMMY GURR | NINA BROOKE | HAUT DE GAMME | KEZIAH BURT

PANTER & HALL | TURNER ART PERSPECTIVE | HYPER GALLERY 

AIR CONTEMPORARY | NOVA | THE DRANG GALLERY

DAVID HARBER | DAWN CONN | JULIETTE DERWENT | WILLIAM HOODLESS | HENRIETTA BUD 

IAN TRICKER | LYNN WARREN | RACHEL DUCKER | HELLEN SOLLY | FI HUNTER | STEVE BICKNELL

THIS IS LOOP ‘TOROID’ | STUDIO VERTIGO ‘END OVER END’ & ‘SPIN ME A YARN’

RISE artists MORAG CAISTER | SARA HOQUE | KEREN GOLEA | SAM SMYTH

PLAYDATE at HENLEY FESTIVAL

ADAM KAY: KAY’S ANATOMY | STUFF & NONSENSE | THE EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMAN | MC GRAMMAR PROFESSOR STRANGE | FUNKY FACES | FACE PAINTING 4 ALL | COOKIE THE CLOWN 

ALWAYS SPARKLE | BUBBLE FAIRY | DOODLE JAM | CIRCUS SKILLS