A Bermudian artist living in the UK has been left “thrilled” after she was announced as a finalist for an upcoming awards ceremony celebrating the outstanding contributions of Black residents in the Greater Manchester area.

“It’s not like a competition, show or something like that. It’s recognition for people that are doing exciting things in the community,” Gherdai Hassell told The Royal Gazette about the Black Futures Awards 2026.

The 35-year-old multimedia artist will attend the ceremony on October 2 at Manchester Art Gallery as a finalist in the Art and Culture Award category.

She said: “It’s a black tie event, which should be really nice. I have never been before but I have heard of it. When I got the details I was thrilled.”

Along with operating a studio in an old textile mill in the city, Ms Hassell runs workshops for refugees and offers mentoring and support.

She is a British Council Venice fellow for 2026, and in a few weeks she will begin a PhD in practice-based arts at Liverpool John Moores University.

Ms Hassell moved to Manchester and settled in 2020 after living in China until the Covid-19 pandemic broke out. She called it “a great city to be in”.

The former Berkeley Institute and Sandys Middle School pupil took an “unconventional” route into the industry, partly inspired by her former art teachers Christine Wellman and Barbara Dillas.

Ms Hassell said: “Both are long-term art teachers and staples in the community.

“At the time I didn’t even know I could be an artist. When I left Bermuda, I didn’t realise I could pursue art.”

She planned to study medicine when she originally left the island in 2009, then considered law.

However her real passion always lay in art. In 2019, Ms Hassell made the move to China in a bid to turn her dream career into reality.

She said: “It’s been an unconventional path, but once you take a leap of faith, a net appears. It’s been the best decision I have ever made.”

Bermuda will always be home and a return could happen one day — but for now, northern England is her base.

“I would love to move back. But I think right now I’m still very much exploring material here.

“Manchester has deep roots and connections with the textile and cotton industries. I think it’s really important for me to be here.

“I miss it, I make work fundamentally about what it means to be a Bermudian. Being a Bermudian, Caribbean heritage, being a Black woman.

“At some point it would be great to move back home.”

Ms Hassell has had her work displayed across the globe, while those on the island will have an opportunity view some of her art in the upcomingAn(Other) World exhibition at the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art, which opens on Friday.