M&C Saatchi Group announces Art for Change Prize

Deadline: 17-Jul-2023

Applications are now open for the Art for Change Prize, an international art initiative from M&C Saatchi Group and Saatchi Gallery.

As part of a shared mission in making art, culture, and creativity accessible to everyone, this prize is a celebration of emerging artistic talent. It will highlight and stimulate dialogue around visual arts as a medium for positive global and social change and give exposure to emerging artists worldwide.

About the Theme

Regeneration: There is no art on a dead planet
The world is reacting to the rising drumbeat of climate chaos. The issues of climate justice, social justice, and economics are now inseparable, but there are reasons to be hopeful. Climate change is finally sinking in. Citizens are demanding change. Nations, cities, communities and corporations are stepping up.
This year’s prize brings with it the opportunity to create new stories of a liveable future and motivate people to do what it takes to be a driving force for the change they need. They have the opportunity to change this to a story that inspires and empowers.
Now is the time for action. Now is the time for meaningful change.

Prize Information

A total prize fund of £20,000 will be split between six regional winners, five to receive £2,000 each and one overall winner to receive £10,000.
All artists will exhibit their winning works in a dedicated exhibition at Saatchi Gallery in London, a recognised authority in contemporary art, where the overall winner will be announced at the end of November 2023. The exhibition will open to the public on Wednesday 22 November 2023 until Friday 12 January 2024.

Eligibility Criteria

The prize is available to emerging artists based in the following M&C Saatchi key global regions: UK, Europe, Americas, Asia, Australia, and Middle East & Africa.
To apply artists must be aged 18 or over and within the first five years of what they hope to be a successful artistic career.
Accepted media includes painting, drawing, illustration, photography, collage, 2D mixed-media, video or film.
Submitted works must creatively respond to the theme ‘Regeneration’ and have been executed since 1 January 2020.
Works must be stable and capable of being shipped and installed on a walled surface.
Submitted works must be available between 1 October 2023 and 31 January 2024 for an exhibition in London.
One application per artist is permitted with a maximum of five artworks accepted.
Artists may only enter the prize in the region associated with their country of residence.
The artwork(s) must be the participants own work(s) and the participant warrants that they have full title to the artwork(s) and that they have all rights to submit the artwork(s).

The Judging Process

Competition entries will undergo the following judging process:
- Stage 1
  - A panel of at least three judges will be appointed by the Promoter in each of the Territories.
  - Each valid entry will be assessed by the panel of judges in the applicable territory based on the level, quality and creativity of the Work(s) submitted.
  - The panel of judges in each territory will select 1 winner. There will be one winner in each territory and a total of six winners (“Local Winners”).
- Stage 2
  - The Work(s) of each of the six Local Winners will be exhibited in a dedicated exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery, London in November 2023 – January 2024 and will be assessed by a panel of individuals from or appointed by the Promoter (“Grand Jury”).
  - The Grand Jury will select 1 overall winner for the six Local Winners (“Global Winner”).
The decision of both the panel of judges nominated by the Promoter and the Grand Jury is final and no correspondence or discussion will be entered into.

Details

Regional winners announced: mid-October 2023
Overall winner announced: Tuesday 21 Novembr 2023
Exhibition dates: Wednesday 22 November 2023 – Friday 12 January 2024.

For more information, visit Art for Change Prize.