The Judges

Lady Marie Dawson - Malcolm

Lady Marie Dawson-Malcolm was a physical training instructor in the British army, a mother to a six-month-old daughter and was preparing to take part in my first London marathon, when she sustained a C5 complete spinal cord injury due to domestic violence. Since becoming injured she have obtained a BA (HONS) law degree and an MA in International Human Rights and Development law.

She advises on a number of national Panels on access to public transport and access to services for disabled individuals, a consultant on the BBC Soap, EastEnders, whilst still working full-time as an Support Network Officer. Despite the limitations caused by her injury, she refuses to let it prevent her from living a fulfilled life. “My passion is to empower others to realise that life’s challenges are motivations to guide you into your true purpose in life.”

Dr. Chila Kumari Singh Burman, MBE

Continually seeking to break stereotypes and emancipate the image of women, Burnman often uses self-portraiture as a tool of empowerment and self-determination.

More recently, she was selected as the fourth artist to complete the Tate Britain Winter Commission in 2020. The resulting hugely popular installation Remembering A Brave New World, addressed the colonial history of Tate Britain and its Eurocentric position. 

In 2017, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate and Honorary Fellowship from the University of Arts in London. 

Cllr Emma Will

I have  been a Councillor for Royal Hospital Ward since 2010 and I am currently the Lead Member for Culture and Leisure and Community Safety which includes all our parks and green spaces.

I was previously Lead Member for Education and Libraries and Family and Children’s Services. 

Additionally, I am a school governor of Kensington Aldridge Academy and a Trustee of a brand new SEN school opening in the borough in September. I am also on the boards of the Exhibition Road Cultural Group, the Chelsea Physic Garden as well as the Kensington and Chelsea Young People’s Foundation.

Richard Young

Richard Young is at the forefront of celebrity photography. With a career spanning over 40 years, (and no sign of stopping anytime soon!) Young’s exceptional eye and unique approach has cemented him as the most trusted and prolific contemporary photographer to the stars. As both a portraitist and photojournalist, his unerring ability to capture the moment and present a candid, inside view into the world of celebrity has resulted in iconic images that are celebrated in publications throughout the world.

Ben Burdett

Ben Burdett is the founder of ATLAS Gallery, in Marylebone; one of the foremost galleries worldwide dealing exclusively in photography. The gallery embraces photography in all its form, exceptional vintage, archive photojournalism and fashion, to experimental and fine art photography, as well as representing a diverse range of contemporary photographers.

Francesca Filippini Pinto

Francesca has been working in the art world with a focus on photography since 2011 – previously as Global Gallery and Retail Director for Magnum Photos, the pre-eminent photo agency representing some of the world’s most acclaimed photographers. She was previously Director of Development for The Photographers’ Gallery (the largest public institution in the UK exclusively dedicated to photography) and General Manager for Christie’s South Kensington.

A committed patron of the arts, Francesca is an RSA Fellow and an active supporter of The Photographers’ Gallery, the Design Museum, PEER and AWITA.

Carola Syz

Carola Syz curates and creates art projects in London.

After significant experience in the art world Carola Syz has evolved over the years from art collector and fine art photographer to curator and art advisor. Syz works with several galleries and different prestigious locations in London including the Italian Embassy, the Italian Consulate and the Hotel Baglioni, Kensington, as well as offers unique access to a number of artists and collections across Europe, India and the USA

Mark Husson

After a trans-Atlantic career in finance, Mark is delighted to refocus his attention on his life-long passion for photography . He has also been committed in sharing this enthusiasm with our Youth Club workshops.  

Pam Carter-Harte

Founder of ShannonAnn Child Model and Casting Agency, a family run, boutique model and casting agency providing talent for stage, screen and beyond. Including clients Disney, Universal, ITV, Channel 4, Doctor Who, and Harry Potter, amongst others. From her own beginnings as a child model, Pam Carter-Harte strives to create a safe, inclusive, and representative agency for children, young people, and families.

Gareth Davies and Darren Walsh

Chelsea FC have been based in Stamford Bridge since 1905. It is among the most widely supported football clubs in the world, with the sixth-highest average attendance in the history of English football.

Darren Walsh works as the official photographer for Chelsea FC.

Brandei Estes

Brandei Estes spent over ten years working in photography and contemporary art galleries in London and Paris before joining Sotheby’s in 2013. Ms. Estes has been instrumental in the growth of the Photographs sales in Europe, and is the lead business getter for the department. Her comprehensive role within the team also includes professional writing, research and all aspects of auction estimates, fair market value, charitable donation and insurance appraisals.

Ms. Estes is regularly a judge and nominator for numerous international photography awards including the Prix Pictet and the Louis Roederer Photography Prize for Sustainability, and served for five years as the Chair for the advisory committee of The Photographers’ Gallery TPG Contemporaries. Ms. Estes lectures throughout the year on collecting photographs and the photography market for public and private institutions, museums, galleries and fairs in the UK and continental Europe. Ms. Estes is a graduate of University College London, where she received a double honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Italian and History of Art.

Caroline Jennings

Caroline Jennings, Marketing & Communication Director, Cadogan. Caroline heads up the events, PR and partnership programme for Cadogan - principal sponsor of 'Young Artists' and one of the largest property owners and managers in the borough, who have been invested in the local community for 300 years.
She has worked in destination marketing and PR for two decades and is responsible for many local publications and neighbourhood events.

Florence Goodhand-Tait

Florence Goodhand-Tait is the Head of Learning at Saatchi Gallery. Since graduating Camberwell College of Arts in 2016 specialising in Illustration, she has been committed to bringing arts to different communities in London. She has worked with organisations and charities such as the Garden Museum, Art in the Park and Bold Tendencies.

Tommy Rönngren

Tommy Rönngren and his wife Åsa are the custodians and executors of the George Hoyningen-Huene Estate Archives, managing the Estate and legacy of the renowned photographer.

Tommy is a Swedish art collector and entrepreneur, as well as a partner at Fotografiska – the Museum of Photography. Fotografiska was launched in Stockholm in 2010 and has since expanded to New York, Tallinn and Berlin, with a mission to present the work of leading photographers, offer inclusive spaces for exhibition and discussion, and inspire a more conscious world.

David Ross

David Ross is perhaps the best known as the co-founder in 1991 of The Carphone Warehouse, today Europe's largest independent mobile phone retailer. Since 2003, he has been involved in leading may other public and private companies, as well as pursuing a passion for the arts, sports and education through the David Ross Foundation. He is also a trustee of the National Portrait Gallery; David is a passionate art collector, a keen photographer and with his discerning eye a welcome addition to the judges for this competition.

Daniel Jelani Sie-Blackman

Daniel Jelani Sie-Blackman better known as Jelani Blackman is a British rapper, singer and songwriter. Jelani Blackman's style is mostly influenced by soul, RnB and grime. He released his first EP titled "1-4" in 2016. Since then Jelani collaborated with artists such as Ghetts, Stormzy, Kano, Arlo Parks, Gorillaz and Wolf Alice and became one of the most recognizable London-based rappers.

Daniel Lismore

Daniel Lismore is a British fabric sculptor, designer, and campaigner. Described by Vogue Magazine as "England's Most Eccentric Dresser" he is best known for his flamboyant dress sense serving a form of statement, sculpture and even armour.

A Living Sculpture who creates elaborate, extravagant, three-dimensional tableaux of figurative sculptures crafted like tapestries; Each artwork is created from fragments of items previously worn by the artist, meshing history and futurism whilst reflecting the world in which he exists.

Lilah Parsons

Lilah Parsons is a British presenter and illustrator. With an extensive broadcasting career in TV and Radio working for the likes of Capital FM, MTV and Heart Radio, Lilah is also known for her distinctive illustration work. She attended City & Guilds of London Art School and has honed her own design style, focusing on hand drawn and painted floral lettering work. Lilah is also a qualified youth worker and runs art sessions at youth clubs in London.”

Abdi Aden

The Earl’s Court Youth Club Manager Created in 1979 on a World War II bombsite, The Earls Court Youth Club (ECYC) on Ifield Road has been a focal point for local teenagers for forty years. Despite the creep of gentrification, the club has remained a much loved, needed and used space for less privileged young people in the borough. Originally set up with the help of John Sainsbury and managed by local residents, the centre features a plethora of activities from art to rap, from football to dance and studio engineering.

“In my early teens I lived in Earls Court and used to attend ECYC. Now, some 20 years later, I’m the Centre Manager. ECYC is close to my heart, it changed my life for the better, and I want to be part of the team that helps it achieve its full potential. Last year we offered 45 weeks of youth club provision, playing host to over 1,350 young people and children.”

Oliver Locke

Oliver Locke is a British television personality and actor from Southampton, England, known for appearing in E4's constructed reality series Made in Chelsea.

Michael Hoppen

Michael Hoppen is the owner of the prestigious Michael Hoppen Gallery, located just off the King’s Road. The Michael Hoppen Gallery opened in 1992 and is founded on a passion for photography. Spaced over three floors in the heart of Chelsea, the gallery provides both a white-walled arena for contemporary artists as well as a more intimate context for the smaller and more eclectic works they exhibit.

Isabelle von Ribbentrop

Isabelle von Ribbentrop is one of the leading women in the photography world. She was instrumental in launching the prestigious Prix Pictet photography award in 2008, harnessing the power of photography to draw attention to issues of sustainability and the environment. She is the Global Head of Advertising, Branding, and Sponsoring and a member of the Group Communications Executive Committee at Pictet Group.

Isabelle takes on multiple philanthropic roles, offering psychological support for tumor patients through her foundation, and being an active member of the King‘s College Campaign Board.

In 2022, she was selected as a Judge of the AOP Photography Awards.

Vanessa Branson

Vanessa Branson is a champion of global cultural and ecological initiatives. As President and Founder of the Marrakech Biennale she was responsible for North Africa’s only trilingual arts festival, comprising visual art, literature and film programs featuring acclaimed international and Moroccan artists.  Prior to this, she was co-founding curator with Prue O'Day of the Wonderful Fund Collection. She also established and co-directed the Portobello Arts Festival (1987-1989). She founded the Vanessa Devereux Gallery (1986-1991) in London.  In 2002, along with her business partner Howell James CBE, she developed an ancient crumbling palace in the centre of Marrakech into a beautiful boutique hotel - El Fenn. She also owns and runs Eilean Shona, a tidal island on the west coast of Scotland. She is a trustee of the British Moroccan Society and Virgin Unite, and on the board of trustees of Global Diversity Foundation.

Guy Lane

Guy Lane is News Picture Editor at The Guardian. He has over 25 years’ experience on newspaper picture desks, including The Times and The European. He was Picture Editor at Sunday Business. He has written on photography for The Guardian, The Times, Art World magazine, Art Book magazine, and 8 magazine where he was also Features Editor.

Peter Dench

Peter Dench : Made in England 1972 UK based photographer, presenter, writer, author, educator and curator. 

Over 20 years experience in the advertising, editorial, corporate, portraiture fields of image making.  Achievements include: World Press Photoaward in the People in the News Stories category and participation in the World Press Joop Masterclass. Football's Hidden Story, a FIFA sponsored reportage comprising 26 stories across 20 different countries, received six global accolades. 

Thomas Adams

For the last two decades I’ve worked in this industry, from actor, to model booker to talent manager – but around 10 years ago I discovered my love for Casting. I was lucky enough to cut my teeth with some top UK Casting Directors working in Film & TV production and Music A&R.

This diverse background gives me a unique take on the casting process, having been on both sides of the camera and the phone. I’m a ‘new school’ Casting Director, passionate about creating an audition environment in which an artist can give their best performance.

Biljana Poposka Roberts

Biljana Poposka Roberts is the owner and Managing Director of Fashion Scout, the internationally renowned platform for emerging designers.

During her fifteen-years of experience in the fashion and design industry, Biljana has specialised in working with high-enddesigners, brands and education, dedicated to promoting, supporting and creating opportunities for fashion and design talent.  She has worked in ever-changing, high pressured and demanding environments, across multiple levels of business and professionals, with ability to negotiate and deliver high quality outcomes.

Martyn Roberts

After a successful career in Fashion PR in London, Martyn Roberts founded Fashion Scout in 2006.  Over the past fifteen years he has developed Fashion Scout into one of the world’s most recognised and acclaimed independent platforms for international fashion designers. Since the inception of Fashion Scout, through Martyn’s leadership the platform scouted and kickstarted the careers of many designers who now boost a highly successful careers, such as Iris Van Herpen, David Koma, Peter Pilotto, Eudon Choi, Osman, Masha Ma, Rocky Star, Little Shilpa, Phoebe English, Tolu Coker, Roberts Wood, Angel Chenand many more.  Fashion Scout London is held during London Fashion Week, each season showcasing over 20 catwalk shows and presentations from emerging and pioneering designers.  

Katy Hessel

Katy Hessel is a curator and founder of @thegreatwomenartists, an account that celebrates female artists on a daily basis. She regularly writes on the subject of women artists and has led talks on the subject for The Courtauld, Cambridge University, Pallant House Gallery; and films for Barbican Centre and more. She has curated exhibitions at TJ Boulting and Mother London, as well as residencies at Palazzo Monti in Brescia. Katy works in Press and Marketing at Victoria Miro.

Nicci Topping CDA, CSA

Nicci has been a professional casting director for over 20 years across commercials, film and TV and is committed to delivering casting services of the highest possible level.

Her feature film work includes the award winning Northern Soul and her commerical's work includes casting the pre-fall campaign for Gucci in 2017 along with work for many global brands including Nike, Facebook, Amazon, John Lewis and Pepsi

Nicci is on the board of the CDA (Casting Director's Association) in the UK, the CSA (Casting Society of America).  She was nominated for a British Arrows award in 2015 and won a CDA Award for Best Short film Casting in 2018. Nicci was one of the D&AD judges in 2017 and was one of the RTS Judges in 2021 for best director . Although her head office is in the UK (London and Manchester) Nicci regularly casts projects in the USA and Europe.