Women's Prize Trust announces Christopher as sculptor for Non-Fiction award 'The Charlotte'

The Women’s Prize Trust has announced the artist nominated to create "The Charlotte" – the figurine to be cast in bronze, which will be presented to each winner of the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction. The final figurine award will be revealed on 13th June 2024.

Ann Christopher was chosen to create a limited edition sculpture by a panel of judges. She will also receive a prize of £10,000, awarded by the Charlotte Aitken Trust who oversaw the competition, in association with the Royal Society of Sculptors and the Women’s Prize Trust.

Christopher studied at Harrow School of Art and West of England College of Art. She became an elected member of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1980, a Royal Academician in 1989 and a Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors in 1992. She accepts both public and private commissions from across the UK, USA and France and has exhibited in London, New York and France. She will coordinate the 256th Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy in 2024.

The judging panel to select "The Charlotte" was chaired by Laura Ford, president of the Royal Society of Sculptors. She was joined by Clare Alexander, literary agent and Charlotte Aitken Trust trustee, Rachel Cugnoni, grant director of the Charlotte Aitken Trust, Sebastian Faulks, novelist and chair of the Charlotte Aitken Trust, and Kate Mosse, novelist, non-fiction writer and founder director of the Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction.

Together, they chose a shortlist of three artists from a longlist of submissions from Royal Society of Sculptors members. Each shortlisted sculptor was tasked with creating a maquette which was presented to the judging panel.

Cugnoni said: "The Charlotte Aitken Trust was set up by the celebrated literary agent, Gillon Aitken, in honour of his daughter and so to have one beautiful piece of art – The Charlotte – created to celebrate some of the best writing in the English language is something I am certain he would be enormously proud of. We, the trustees, share that pride."

Mosse added: ’It was a wonderful experience to see the sketches from each of the artists brought to life, and no easy task to decide which to choose. In the end, we loved Ann’s vision. I cannot wait to see ’The Charlotte’ sharing the stage with ’The Bessie’ for the first time at our awards ceremony for both prizes in June."