M&C Saatchi and London’s Saatchi Gallery have announced the second edition of their free-to-enter international art initiative, the annual Art for Change Prize.
Last year, 2,500 entries were received from over 130 countries worldwide. The Art for Change Prize celebrates emerging artistic talent and aims to trigger conversations around visual arts as a medium for positive global and social change.
This year’s prize invites emerging artists from around the world to creatively respond to the theme of Regeneration. Artists are invited to create new stories of a liveable future and motivate people to do what it takes to be a driving force for the change we need. 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.
Moray MacLennan, chief executive officer, M&C Saatchi, stated, “We have ambitious goals for environmental and social change and this year’s Art for Change Prize aims to have a positive impact on both across the world. Our partnership with the Saatchi Gallery aims to deepen access to art and identify the next generation of artists influencing real societal change. After the success of last year, we want to have an even bigger impact this year. Because that’s what art can do, create meaningful change.”
Paul Foster, director, Saatchi Gallery, added, “We are thrilled to present the Art for Change Prize in partnership with our Principal Patron M&C Saatchi Group. We received an incredible wealth of emerging talent from across the globe last year – to the delight of the judges and our visitors. This year’s theme, Regeneration, will provide an important challenge to the artists to explore how art can inspire meaningful change.”
A prize fund of £20,000 (AU$37,000) will be split between six regional winners, five to receive £2,000 (AU$1,060) each and one overall winner to receive £10,000 (AU$5,300). All artists will exhibit their winning works in a dedicated exhibition at Saatchi Gallery, a recognised authority in contemporary art, where the overall winner will be announced.
Applications will be invited through an open call online and the prize is available to emerging artists based in the following M&C Saatchi key global regions UK, US, Europe, Americas, Asia, Australia, Middle East & Africa. A winner from each location will be decided by the judging panel before a grand jury selects the overall winner.
The judges are:
Australia: Emma Robbins, National Executive Creative Director, M&C Saatchi Australia, Patrick Guerrera, Founder & Chief Executive Officer at Re, Part of M&C Saatchi Group, Claire Bridge, Artist Melbourne Now 2023, National Gallery of Victoria
Americas: Nicholos Rotondi, Executive Creative Director at M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment North America, Lucas Crigler, Creative Director at SS+K, Part of M&C Saatchi Group, Mickey Smith, Conceptual Artist and Photographer
Asia: Ali Shabaz, Chief Creative Officer at M&C Saatchi Singapore, Dami Sidharta, Chief Creative Officer at M&C Saatchi Indonesia, Nadya Wang, Editor of Art & Market and Fashion & Market, Lecturer at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore
Europe: Klara Eide, Partner & Executive Strategy Director at M&C Saatchi Stockholm, Christian ‘Kidde’ Schuck, Managing Creative Director at M&C Saatchi Berlin, Michael Elmenbeck, Founder and Creative Director of CF HILL Art Space and Bon Magazine
Middle East & Africa: Robert Grace, Founding Partner and Head of Strategy at M&C Saatchi Abel South Africa, Ryan Reed, Chief Creative Officer at M&C Saatchi UAE, Zeinab Alhashemi, Conceptual Artist, specialised in site specific art installation and public art, Artist Mentor and Founder of Athmad Projects
UK: Darren Bowles, Partner & Executive Creative Director at Re, Part of M&C Saatchi Group, Ronaldo Tavares, Executive Creative Director at M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, Sophie Morgan, TV Presenter, Writer & Disability Advocate
One overall winner will then be chosen by a grand jury, led by Saatchi Gallery.
To Apply: Artists must be aged 18 or over, within the first five years of what they hope will be a successful artistic career and be working in one or more of the following media: painting, drawing, illustration, photography, collage, 2D mixed-media, video or film. Enter here.
Key Dates
Call for entries open: 26 April 2023
Deadline for entries: 17 July 11.59pm UK BST
Regional winners announced: mid October 2023
Overall winner announced: 21 November 2023
Exhibition dates: 22 November 2023 – 12 January 2024
