Award-winning artist secures funding to visit SpaceX
An artist with close links to Space Park Leicester – who was a winner of the 2024 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Program ‘Imagine Tomorrow’ design prize – has received funding to visit SpaceX.
Matt Turner’s artwork is inspired by space travel and in 2024 he visited NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Johnson Space Center USA to gather ideas for an art exhibition which was held at Space Park Leicester, the University of Leicester’s £100m space research, innovation and teaching hub.
At the end of this month, the Leicester-based, award-winning artist will visit SpaceX’s Starship production and test facility at Boca Chica in Texas thanks to a grant from the Lucy Phillips Arts Fund (LPAF), set up in memory of Leicester arts leader, Lucy Phillips.
Matt said: “I’m very grateful to the Lucy Phillips Arts Fund for providing me with the funding for this research trip which will give me the opportunity to do drawings, painting and photography at SpaceX.
“I’m really looking forward to the trip which will hopefully give me the chance to get up close to launch vehicles on the beach next to the SpaceX launch pad.”
Alex Wheldon, Head of Strategic Marketing and Communications at Space Park Leicester, said: “We’re very proud of our long-standing relationship with Matt and we can’t wait to see the artwork that he creates following his trip to SpaceX.”
Matt was one of eight artists and creatives from across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland who received almost £6,000 funding from the LPAF. The other successful applicants were Anna Roberts-Finn, Cara Holland, Chubby Daniels, Emily Crofton, Emma Peers, Francis Underwater and Theo Miller.
More than 250 people pledged money to be distributed via the LPAF which is being led by a panel of Lucy’s family and friends.
Geoff Rowe, a member of the LPAF panel, said: “We are delighted to announce the latest recipients of a LPAF grant and hope the support will really help those who have been successful.
“It was wonderful to receive so many applications and enquiries to the fund and see the breadth of creativity across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. We are so grateful to all those who have pledged money and have enabled these grants to be awarded in Lucy’s name.”
Anyone who wants to support LPAF can visit www.gofundme.com/the-lucy-phillips-arts-fund
To learn more about Matt Turner’s work, visit https://www.matthewturnerartist.co.uk/
To explore Space Park Leicester partnerships, missions, residents, facilities, training programmes and innovation products, visit space-park.co.uk or to learn more about the University of Leicester visit le.ac.uk/.
Main image: Organisations urged to support new research at Space Park Leicester