ANNOUNCING THE 2025 LINBURY PRIZE RECIPIENTS
Meet the 12 designers shaping the future of stage design
We are delighted to announce the twelve emerging designers who have been awarded the Linbury Prize for Stage Design 2025. As the UK’s leading award for emerging theatre design talent, the prize offers a vital launchpad into the world of professional theatre.
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The twelve recipients are:
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Cal Owens (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)
Emily Mahon (Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts)
Haiyan Hester Xue 薛海燕 (Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Wimbledon College of Art)
Isaac O'Brien (The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts)
James Stibilj (National Institute of Dramatic Art)
Kathy Udaondo (London College of Fashion, University of Arts London)
Kezi Ferguson (Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama)
Miriam Dheva-Aksorn (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art)
Willoughby Brow (Wimbledon College of Arts, University of Arts London)
Yi Gao (Wimbledon College of Arts, University of Arts London)
Yuhe Zhang (Wimbledon College of Arts)
Zidi Wu (Central Saint Martins, University of Arts London)
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This year’s recipients will have their work showcased to the public at The Linbury Prize Exhibition which opens on Tuesday 2 December 2025 at the National Theatre, spotlighting fresh creative voices shaping the future of stage design. Additionally, they will receive a bursary prize of £6,000 to support an associate design placement with an established designer, giving them mentoring and first-hand experience of the production process.​
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“In a challenging time for theatre designers, judging the Linbury Prize has affirmed for me the vital role these pathways play in recognising and nurturing emerging talent.
There was a wealth of bold submissions this year and I'm delighted to see the work of our twelve finalists being celebrated at the National Theatre."
Max Johns,
2025 Judge & Designer
The Linbury Prize is the only nationwide prize for Stage Design in the UK and has launched the careers of over 200 talented emerging stage designers since its founding in 1987 by Lady Anya Sainsbury. Applications were open to UK graduates from theatre design degree or postgraduate courses graduating in 2024 and 2025, as well as emerging designers without a degree who are in the first three years of their professional practice.
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This year’s judging panel included award winning designers Max Johns, Ian MacNeil, Jean-Marc Puissant and Rajha Shakiry. Applicants submitted digital portfolios online, with shortlisted candidates subsequently invited to in-person interviews.
