Keisha Thompson wins £10k theatre prize at Arts Foundation Futures Awards

Writer, performance artist and producer Keisha Thompson has won the theatre maker category of the Arts Foundation Futures Awards, receiving £10,000.

The award, which is is supported by the Maria Björnson Memorial Fund, helps artists with their working and living costs.

Thompson was chosen by a panel of judges comprising Manchester International Festival director John McGrath, playwright and performer Bryony Kimmings, and Battersea Arts Centre director Tarek Iskander.

Shows created by the Manchester-based theatremaker include I Wish I had a Moustache, which explores the history of the female beauty regime, and Man on the Moon, which is based on Thompson’s relationship with her father.

Thompson is also chair of funding body Future’s Venture Foundation and is a fellow of the MOBO/London Theatre Consortium Fellowship.

Iskander said: “Keisha’s incredible body of work speaks for itself. She is a true talent who fuses her exceptional craftsmanship with her personal experiences in a way that feels effortless, but is clearly the product of enormous thought, hard work and skill.

"Her remarkable practice deserves and demands a bigger audience. Keisha’s is a truly original voice that speaks with authority and grace – and a very worthy winner of this prestigious award."

McGrath described her as an “artistic force to be reckoned with”.

Three runners-up, Josie Dale-Jones, Matilda Ibini and Urielle Klein-Mekongo, also received £1,000 awards towards their practice.

The Arts Foundation Futures Awards, held online on January 27, also presented fellowships to people working in the visual arts and choral composition, which was won by John Barber.