The Abraaj Group announced yesterday that applications for artists and curators are open for the next edition of the Abraaj Group Art Prize. The tenth edition of the Prize, taking place at Art Dubai 2018, will feature a reviewed timeline and guidelines for applying artists and curators, as well as a new jury.
Artists from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia region are invited to apply with a proposal for a new, original, unrealized work that will be revealed at Art Dubai 2018. One winning artist will be awarded a 100,000 USD prize to create a major new commission. Three shortlisted artists will also be chosen to receive a cash prize of 10,000 USD and showcase their work alongside the winning work in a thematic exhibition.
Experienced international and regional curators are also invited to apply to become Guest Curator of the Abraaj Group Art Prize 2018, a role that includes curating the group exhibition at Art Dubai 2018 and producing an accompanying publication. Following the 2018 exhibition, the commissioned work will become part of the Abraaj Group Art Collection.
Reflecting its importance, the new timeline will allow artists and curators more time to create proposals and create the ambitious projects. The applications for both artists and curators will open on March 14, 2017, during the eleventh edition of Art Dubai and the deadline for applications for artists and curators will be May 19, 2017 and April 16, 2017 respectively.
Artists and curators are able to apply here.
About the Abraaj Group Art Prize
The Abraaj Group is a leading private equity investor, purpose-built for operating in the growth markets of Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Turkey. Through its Stakeholder and Strategic Partnerships programmes, the Group supports art and innovation, entrepreneurship and the next generation, aiming to have a deep rooted and sustainable impact across growth markets.
The Abraaj Group Art Prize was founded in 2008 and is now in its ninth edition. The aim of the prize is to empower potential and give often under-represented contemporary artists the resources to further develop their talent. Following the application and jury process, three artists are shortlisted for the Prize and one artist is awarded a 100,000 USD commission for a new, unrealized, original work. The three shortlisted artists receive a cash prize and are represented in a group exhibition at Art Dubai (March 15–18, 2017) through previous works, which are selected by the Guest Curator in liaison with the artists. The Prize reflects Abraaj’s own investment philosophy, which is to take viable businesses with great potential, and create regional and global champions. To date, works have been presented at Art Dubai and have gone on loan to exhibitions at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York), Jeu de Paume (Paris), Istanbul Modern, Singapore Art Museum, Sharjah Biennale 11, 54th Venice Biennale, 18th Biennale of Sydney, Victoria and Albert Museum (London), Boghossian Foundation (Brussels), Palais de Tokyo (Paris), Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Hangzhou Triennial of Fiber Art (Zhejiang), Kunsthalle Wien (Vienna), Tensta Konstall (Stockholm), Glasgow Sculpture Studios, 10th Gwangju Biennale, and New Museum (New York).
About Art Dubai
The preeminent platform to interact with art from the Middle East and North Africa, Art Dubai is a leading international art fair. Mirroring the cosmopolitanism and diversity of its hometown Dubai, it is the most globally diverse art fair, which in 2017 will present galleries from 43 countries. Through the fair and its year-round activities, Art Dubai plays a leading role for the cultural development of Dubai, thus redefining the role an art fair can play; its year-round thought leadership, education and commissioning programming activities such as the Global Art Forum, Campus Art Dubai and Art Dubai Projects have been instrumental in building the framework for supporting artistic talent in the city and beyond.
