LONDON.- Talented young musicians and artists will be featured at this year’s Private View of the BP Portrait Award, at the National Portrait Gallery, run exclusively for young people as part of its BP Portrait Award Next Generation project.

Following the success of the first Young People’s Private View in 2013 and subsequently in 2014 and 2015, the free event returns on Tuesday 2 August 2016. The Gallery’s only after-hours social event for, and by, young people, the evening offers hundreds of 14-21 year olds the chance to view the popular BP Portrait Award 2016 and meet BP Portrait Award winning artists. Everyone aged 14-21 is invited to attend on a first-come, first served basis by emailing bpnextgeneration@npg.org.uk with their full names, ages and addresses.

Hosted by the Gallery’s youth advisory panel, the Youth Forum, whose members give talks and run drawing sessions during the evening, the night is a platform for youth talent and special performances in the Gallery, including 19 year-old singer/songwriter Saskia Kristin and 21 year old London-based singer Shama Joseph. DJ Ms Timberlina will be playing a youth-selected playlist throughout the evening. Limited edition branded glow-in-the-dark wristbands will be available for the first 200 RSVPs.

With competitions, BP Portrait Award-winning artist talks, goody bags and competition prizes supplied by Cass Art, there is also a special menu of vegetarian pizza, chicken kebabs, nut-free chocolate brownies and non-alcoholic ‘mocktails’ available throughout the evening.

This year’s BP Portrait Award first prize-winning artist, Clara Drummond, will be special guest, giving an exclusive talk about her winning portrait and running a drawing activity. Past BP Portrait Award-winner Ray Richardson will also be there on the night, running another drawing session.

The evening will also see the launch of the Gallery’s dedicated Young People’s Instagram account @NPGYouth and guests will be encouraged to share their experiences from the night to the hashtag #BPNextGen. A dedicated Youth Crew will be filming the evening and interviewing artists and participants for social media and the project website.

The event is part of a season of creative portraiture sessions and summer schools for young people taking place at the National Portrait Gallery, London, as part of the BP Portrait Award 2016.

Now in its seventh year and supported by BP, the BP Portrait Award: Next Generation project aims to engage young artists of the future with portraiture.

Young people, including the Gallery’s Youth Forum, play a key role in designing BP Portrait Award: Next Generation events to give a youth voice to the project. BP Portrait Award: Next Generation has engaged over 2,500 young people and over eighty BP Portrait Award-winning artists since it began in 2010.

A guest at the Young People’s Private View 2015 said: ‘The evening has been a really great opportunity, I have enjoyed meeting like-minded young people and finding out the different paths that everyone is taking. It is also amazing to have a chance to talk to the practising artists.’

Miranda, from Youth Forum said of the Young People’s Private View 2015: ‘The evening epitomised how I envision a Gallery should be: bursting with life, fun and creativity.’

Dr Nicholas Cullinan, Director, National Portrait Gallery, London, says: ‘Making the Gallery accessible after-hours just for young people gives them the opportunity to make the space their own for the night, and to experience the BP Portrait Award 2016 with BP Portrait Award winners and with their peers. The Gallery’s Youth Forum is very excited to open up the Gallery just for 14-21 year olds, and we are looking forward to sharing our portraits with them.’