Pretoria, South Africa – Thursday, 26 June 2025 – Jaguar has officially announced the shortlist for its inaugural Jaguar Art Awards, a bold new initiative created in partnership with the prestigious Royal College of Art (RCA). A total of twenty outstanding artworks have been selected, each demonstrating fearless creative expression aligned with Jaguar’s uncompromising ‘Copy Nothing’ ethos.
The shortlisted pieces – encompassing painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, and glass – were exhibited from 19 to 22 June at the RCA2025: School of Arts & Humanities Show, an annual celebration of emerging talent from the RCA’s Fine and Applied Art Master’s programmes. The exhibition formed part of the RCA Summer Showcase, where these exceptional finalists stood as powerful testaments to Jaguar’s mission to champion originality.
At the heart of the Jaguar Art Awards is a singular ambition: to celebrate artists whose vision is unapologetically original—work that dares to disrupt, provoke and inspire. The selection panel, composed of leading creative voices across multiple disciplines, included JLR’s Chief Creative Officer Professor Gerry McGovern OBE, alumni from the Jaguar Creative team, and renowned figures from the worlds of visual art and design.
Professor McGovern, reflecting on the calibre of submissions, remarked:
“The Jaguar Art Awards are about celebrating bold, fearless artistic vision—work that challenges convention and dares to stand apart. As part of the jury, I have been inspired by the breadth of talent in the submissions. The shortlisted works all embody the spirit of Jaguar: vibrant, distinctive, and unapologetically original.”
The journey now continues to September, where a highly anticipated awards ceremony will crown five winners. Each will receive a grant to propel their next creative chapter, with one artist receiving the prestigious Gerry McGovern Award, the programme’s highest honour, in recognition of exceptional artistic ingenuity.
The launch of the Jaguar Art Awards follows the brand’s recent creative renaissance. At Miami Art Week last year, Jaguar revealed Type 00, its striking new brand and design vision, capturing the attention of over a billion people worldwide. This next chapter in the marque’s legacy reaffirms its position at the intersection of design, culture and originality – values that have shaped the brand since it was founded by Sir William Lyons, who famously urged: “Copy Nothing.”
With this ethos firmly embedded, the Jaguar Art Awards extend the brand’s creative influence far beyond automotive design, offering a powerful platform for new voices and fresh perspectives.
Shortlist Highlights
Among the shortlisted artists are works that traverse traditional boundaries and challenge contemporary aesthetics. From abstract glasswork imbued with kinetic energy, to intimate photographic studies confronting personal and collective identity, the selection embodies the spirit of risk-taking and artistic liberation that Jaguar seeks to honour.
A Creative Future in Motion
As Jaguar moves toward a fully electric future, it remains firmly rooted in the principles of brave design and expressive individuality. The Jaguar Art Awards exemplify this commitment, offering a new lens through which the brand continues to lead—not just in performance and luxury, but in cultural and creative innovation.
The announcement of the winners this September will not only reward excellence but reaffirm Jaguar’s role as a patron of originality in all its forms. From the roar of its engines to the brushstrokes of emerging visionaries, Jaguar continues to write a story defined not by imitation—but by innovation.
