Nnena Kalu makes history as the first artist with a learning disability to win the Turner Prize

09 December 2025

Nnena Kalu’s award represented a watershed moment for the international art world, the chair of the judges said. Photograph: Courtesy of the Artist and ActionSpace

In one of the most talked-about moments of the 2025 art season, Scottish artist Nnena Kalu has been awarded the prestigious Turner Prize, becoming the first person with a learning disability to receive the honour since the prize’s inception in 1984. The announcement came on December 9 in Bradford, northern England, during a ceremony that was part of the city’s year as the UK City of Culture. Kalu’s victory not only marks a significant milestone in contemporary art but also signals a broader shift in how the art world recognises diverse creative voices.

Kalu, now 59, was born in Glasgow to Nigerian parents and moved to London at a young age. She is autistic and communicates primarily through her art rather than language, working with minimal verbal communication. Her practice has developed over decades, initially through local community art spaces and later through her longstanding collaboration with ActionSpace, a London-based organisation that supports artists with learning disabilities.

The work that propelled Kalu to the Turner Prize this year included an array of striking abstract drawings and bold sculptural installations that had been shown in significant exhibitions around Europe. Notably, her Hanging Sculpture 1-10 series, created for Manifesta 15 in Barcelona, drew attention for its vibrant, cocoon-like forms made from found materials such as rope, fabric and unspooled VHS tape. These sculptures, suspended amid industrial spaces, invited viewers into a world of texture, colour and physical engagement. Alongside these pieces, her dynamic vortex drawings composed of swirling lines that seem to pulsate with energy helped demonstrate her mastery of rhythm, gesture and surface.

The jury for the 2025 Turner Prize was chaired by Alex Farquharson, director of Tate Britain, who emphasised that the decision was firmly rooted in artistic merit. Farquharson noted that the selection was based on “the visual and aesthetic quality” of Kalu’s work and its powerful presence in space, while also acknowledging that her win marks a momentous step toward recognising artists who have historically been excluded from mainstream art narratives. Farquharson’s view reflects a growing desire within the art world to blur rigid boundaries between neurotypical and neurodiverse creators and to celebrate work that resonates beyond conventional frameworks.

Kalu’s win is both a recognition of her individual vision and a broader cultural moment for representation in contemporary art. Critics and curators alike have described the victory as “seismic” and emblematic of a dismantling of long-standing barriers that have limited opportunities for disabled artists. Supporters pointed to the importance of visibility and access, crediting organisations like ActionSpace, which has fostered Kalu’s development since the late 1990s, for creating pathways that allow artists with learning disabilities to exhibit and be considered on equal footing with their peers.

At the award ceremony, the excitement was palpable. Kalu’s facilitator and studio manager, Charlotte Hollinshead, delivered remarks on her behalf, celebrating a moment that many described as overdue. “This has smashed a very stubborn glass ceiling,” Hollinshead said, invoking the sense of breakthrough that Kalu’s win represents not only for herself but for a generation of artists who have laboured outside the limelight.

The Turner Prize itself has a long history of generating debate and conversation within the art world. Established to promote contemporary visual art in Britain and named after the 19th-century landscape painter J.M.W. Turner, the award has often spotlighted work that provokes, challenges and expands notions of artistic value. Previous winners include artists who pushed the boundaries of conceptual practice, and while the prize has sometimes drawn controversy, it remains one of the most influential art awards in the United Kingdom. Kalu’s inclusion and triumph this year underscores how those conversations are evolving to become more inclusive and reflective of varied forms of expression.

Reaction to Kalu’s win has been overwhelmingly positive, with many commentators celebrating the expressive force of her art and its ability to engage audiences on a sensory and emotional level. Her sculptures and drawings have been praised for their tactile richness, colour intensity and ability to draw viewers into their oscillating forms. Some critics also emphasise that while her neurodivergence is part of her identity, the quality of her work stands on its own and speaks to universal themes of movement, texture and presence.

While Kalu’s Turner Prize victory is already being lauded as a watershed moment, it also serves as an invitation to rethink how artistic excellence is defined and recognised. In an art world that continues to grapple with questions of access, representation and equity, her achievement highlights the importance of creating space for diverse modes of thinking, creating and making. As exhibitions continue into early 2026, including shows at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery in Bradford, museum visitors and art lovers alike will have the opportunity to experience her work firsthand and consider its impact within a broader cultural context.