Ithra Art Prize: Is this the coolest competition ever?
Contemporary artists, here’s your time to shine (and win $100,000)…
Are you a contemporary artist from or residing in the Arab countries? If so, you are about to get very excited…
The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) and the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) are collaborating for the sixth edition of the Ithra Art Prize in a partnership to promote and grow the arts and cultural industries across Saudi Arabia.
This year’s theme is “Special Edition – Art in the Landscape” and submissions are now open for artists to submit their proposals for a unique site-specific commission that reflects the Arab world’s cultural and natural heritage.
Here’s all you need to know about the 6th Ithra Art Prize open call submission.
This edition will focus on outdoor installation art and sculpture. For those interested in taking part, you’ll have until Saturday September 30 to register and submit your proposal.
Applicants are restricted to one proposal that should be a new, original work.
A jury of regional and international experts, including representatives from Ithra and RCU, will evaluate the proposals and announce the winner on Thursday October 19.
Who can participate?
Contemporary artists and art collectives who are from or have been based in the Arab countries for more than ten years. The Arab countries are Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the UAE, and Yemen. Applicants must also be 18 years and older.
What will the winner receive?
The winner will receive a monetary prize of $100,000, plus an additional amount of up to $400,000 to cover production costs, shipping, insurance, and project management costs. The winning artwork will then be unveiled and showcased at AlUla Arts Festival in February 2024 for six weeks, before being transported to Ithra to join its permanent collection. That’s not all. The winning artwork will also be considered for exhibitions worldwide.
This prize pretty much amounts to winning the (art) lottery. After all, the Ithra Art Prize is one of the most significant grants in the region, supporting artists from and based in the Arab world to develop career-making work. Past recipients of the prize include Tunisian Ukrainian artist Nadia Kaabi-Linke and this year’s winner, Iraqi-Finnish artist Adel Abidin.
Register here for the 6th Ithra Art Prize. @ithra
Images: Provided