A BOARD member of a creative learning programme in East Lancashire has won the Turner Prize.

Lubaina Himid, who sat on the Creative Partnerships East Lancashire, has become the oldest winner of the arts award, at the age of 63.

Mrs Himid, a professor of contemporary art at the University of Central Lancashire, has previously held a series of artistic events at Brierfield Mill.

The Turner Prize is awarded to a British visual artist and was named after painter J.M.W Turner.

The artist's work celebrates black creativity and the African diaspora and includes paintings, prints, drawings and installations.

Mrs Himid, originally born in Zanzibar, said she would spend her £25,000 prize to help support emerging artists.

She said: “I know it sounds like some cliche, but I feel like I won it for a lot of people, so that’s why it means a lot.

“I won it for all the times we put our head above the parapet and we tried to do things and we failed. People have died in the meantime.

“For all the black women who never did win it even though they’ve been shortlisted. It feels good for that reason.”

The award evening was held at the Tate Britain and this year was the first year artist’s over the age of 50 were allowed to enter.

When asked about her age, she said: “I’ve 63 years behind me. I certainly haven’t got 63 years in front of me.

“Maybe 15 years' worth of painting if I work it at it? So I’ve got a lot to do.”

The shortlist included two artists who are over 50. As well as Mrs Himid it featured British painter Hurvin Anderson, who is 52.

They were competing against German artist Andrea Buttner and Palestinian-English artist Rosalind Nashashibi, who is a senior lecturer in Fine Art at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Alex Farquharson, director of Tate Britain and chair of the jury, said: “It reflects well on the motivation for lifting (the age restriction) which is an increasing sense that the work of older artists has been making considerable impact on what we’re looking at and how we’re thinking about art today.

“I think there is no longer an overwhelming focus on youth as equating to what’s innovative in contemporary art.”

Mrs Himid also studied theatre design at Wimbledon and an MA in Cultural History at the Royal College of Art.