Scottish artist who ran away to join circus in her teens wins prize for sculptures inspired by circus ring

An artist who ran away to join the circus in her teens has won a top Scottish art prize for sculptures inspired by the circus ring.

Justine Watt, 51, from Dunbar, has won the 2025 Glenfiddich Artist in Residence Award, worth £15,000, the biggest prize in Scotland for an emerging artist.

The prize, for a fully funded three-month residency at Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, Morayshire, is awarded annually at the RSA New Contemporaries exhibition in Edinburgh.

Ms Watt ran away to join the circus when she was 16 after leaving school without qualifications.

She said: “I did all kinds of jobs - I climbed poles to put lights up, I brought animals into the ring and got dressed up and helped the clowns. I loved the circus life.

Justine Watt, 51, from Dunbar, ran away to join the circus when she was 16. | Justine Watt

“I was about to train to do a rope act when I broke my collarbone and had to stop, but I loved working behind the scenes.”

After leaving the circus, she worked in a range of jobs before doing a foundation course in art in her forties, which led to a degree in sculpture at Edinburgh College of Art.

Since graduating, she has won the RSA John Kinross Scholarship, the Hope Scott Trust Award, the VAS Flora Wood and Tim Stead Trust Award and was a finalist for Scotland’s Emerging Sculptor Award.

Her work for RSA New Contemporaries exhibition includes a giant wheel made from recycled chair legs inspired by the circus ring, and by circus acts like the Cyr wheel.

She said: “There’s an old circus saying that ‘Once you get sawdust in your eye, it is difficult to get it out’, about how the circus life never really leaves you. Here I am making art with wood which is inspired by the circus, so I’ve come full circle.”

Andy Fairgrieve, co-ordinator of the Glenfiddich Artists in Residence programme, said: “Justine's work immediately caught the eye of the judging panel, leading to a unanimous decision to select her as this year's Scottish artist for the Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Programme.

“Her skilful maturity and economy of form brings together discarded everyday objects to create clean and uncluttered sculptural works embodied with new meaning. I am delighted that Justine will become the tenth artist from the RSA New Contemporaries to join our residency at Glenfiddich.”

Ms Watt will join artists from China, Canada, Kenya, Taiwan and Korea on the Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Programme this summer, which is one of the biggest privately funded artist residencies in the UK.

Colin Greenslade, director of the RSA, said: “The Glenfiddich Award is a remarkable opportunity for emerging Scottish artists, offering not only financial support but also a transformative residency experience. The award offers the recipient the time, space, and resources to push the boundaries of their practice and engage with a group of international artists.

“The connections forged and experiences gained during this time can have a lasting impact on an artist’s career, opening doors to global opportunities and future collaborations. We are immensely grateful to Glenfiddich for their ongoing dedication to supporting new talent and celebrating contemporary Scottish art.”

The RSA New Contemporaries exhibition features 63 recent graduates from the five Scottish art schools. It runs at the RSA Galleries on Princes Street until 16 April.