Ed Sheeran launches unexpected new career as artist with first-ever painting collection
The singer's Cosmic Carpark Paintings, a vibrant series of original canvases and unique prints, are set to go on sale later this week.
It marks the first time Sheeran's artwork will be available to the public, with proceeds going to his charitable Ed Sheeran Foundation.
The foundation aims to provide accessible, high-quality music education to children across the UK, funding grassroots projects, schools, and instruments.
Inspired by celestial forms and his signature splash painting style, the Cosmic Carpark Paintings were created in a disused London car park during breaks in Sheeran's Mathematics Tour.
The singer-songwriter, who took up painting in 2019 after finishing his record-breaking Divide tour, used the creative process as a form of artistic expression between music releases.
'I started painting at the end of my Divide Tour in 2019 and it's something that I've used as a creative outlet ever since,' Sheeran explained. 'When I was growing up, both of my parents worked in art, so I've naturally always been interested in it, and I always enjoyed studying art at school.
'I was back and forth on tour last year, and I used a lot of my downtime in the UK to paint. I'd run to a disused carpark in Soho each morning, paint, then run home and I'd do that daily until I headed back out on tour again.'
Adding: 'I told my good friends Damien Hirst and Joe Hage about the paintings, and they encouraged me to put on my own thing, so I decided I'd use it as a way of raising funds for my Ed Sheeran Foundation, which supports music education in the UK and helps fund grassroot music projects, schools and equipment, so all kids have access to music.
'I want to thank Damien and Joe for everything they've done for me on this exhibition and I'm delighted to be putting it on.'
The exhibition will be on view at London's HENI Gallery throughout the drop period, with 50% of proceeds from original artwork sales and £300 ($400) from each print going directly to the Ed Sheeran Foundation.
Original works will be available by application via HENI Primary, while prints can be purchased through HENI Editions from 10 July to 1 August 2025.
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