Biz Sutton, 2023 graduate of the BA (Hons) Performance Costume, and designer of the popular Wombles climate crisis project and ‘Orinoco’ costume at the 2023 Edinburgh College of Art Graduate Show, has been selected for the prestigious Linbury Prize for Stage Design, receiving a £5,000 bursary and a design placement.
Her Graduate Show designs and costume ‘Orinoco’ also caught the attention of Wombles Operations Ltd., opening the door for Biz to work with the team bringing The Wombles to the stage.
As a recipient of the Linbury Prize for Stage Design, Biz will receive a £5,000 bursary and a design placement with an established producing organisation.
She will also exhibit alongside the 11 other recipients at the National Theatre, London from 13 November 2023, showcasing her work to the public and industry professionals.
Biz graduated from the BA (Hons) Performance Costume programme in 2023, capturing audiences at the 2023 Performance Costume Show and Graduate Show exhibition with her 'Orinoco' design. Her project imagines the Wombles '50 years on', having emerged from the underground on an environmental protest to reflect the critical climate crisis.
The Linbury Prize is the only nationwide prize for Stage Design in the UK, launching the careers of more than 200 young talented stage designers since its founding in 1987 by Lady Anya Sainsbury.
On being awarded the prize, Biz Sutton said: “After returning from one adventure in Tanzania I was utterly delighted to hear I’m going to embark on another as a 2023 Linbury prize recipient. This is beyond exciting, thank you so much Linbury.”
Working with Womble HQ
As well as being popular with visitors at the Graduate Show exhibition, Biz’s Orinoco costume also captured the attention of Wombles HQ.
After seeing Orinoco in the media, Biz was contacted by Wombles Operations Ltd., who invited her to exhibit the costume at the Wombles stand at Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) this October.
Biz has since been offered further work with the company, who have commissioned her in a costume design and making role to bring the Wombles to the stage.
Megan Baker, Programme Director for the BA (Hons) Performance Costume at Edinburgh College of Art, said: “Huge congratulations to Biz, this is fantastic news and wonderful that Linbury has recognised her boundless creativity and delightful inventiveness. We are also thrilled that Orinoco and his companions’ pioneering journey will continue to be celebrated and enjoyed far and wide with Wombles Operations Ltd, this is such a lovely, heart-warming story”
