ARTISTS TALKING
Visual art exhibitions and events with a platform for critical writing
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Prizes by competition
Nina Madden gives an overview of some of the visual art prizes selected from open submission competitions.
Winning a prize can have a positive impact on an artist’s career beyond the often well-needed influx of extra cash. There is usually a positive knock-on effect on an artist’s career even if it can sometimes be hard to identify if it actually was the prize that opened the doors to new opportunities, or if the work is simply tapping into something larger at that moment in time. Even being shortlisted can make a difference as it provides exposure for the artist. The notion of a ‘seal of approval’ through bringing contemporary art into the fold of the institution by awarding it a prize for ‘talent’, ‘excellence’ or ‘importance’, is a little ironic considering the history of the avant garde and art prizes. Nevertheless winning is part of a process of institutionalisation and although artists in receipt of more established prizes usually are fairly established already, all the prizes featured here are open submission and so in principal at least can be seen to offer opportunity to all. There are different types of art prizes. Some are ‘achievement prizes’ awarded to artists who have made an important contribution to the...
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