In the artistic panorama, art prizes are important opportunities for artists.

Art prizes allow artists to present their research to a panel of  art professionals, to confirm and increase their artistic value, but not only.

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The modalities to participate in an art prize change according to the indications included in a Call; for the most prestigious art prizes, in some cases, the artists are selected by a committee of professionals who will judge the unpublished works presented specifically for the award.

The reward? It can go from a cash sum, to the publication of catalogs, to the exhibition of the winning project at the best foundations, museum institutions and fairs, often organizers of competitions.

Art prizes represent an excellent showcase for artists towards collectors and gallery owners; the prizes, included in their Curriculum Vitae, become key information to evaluate the path and career of an artist in the eyes of operators in the art world.

Let’s see what are the main art prizes.

National art awards:

• GOLD AND SILVER LION: both career awards were established respectively in 1986 and 1998. Annually given during the course of the historical Biennale of Venice, boast among the winners Marina Abramovich, Bruce Nauman and Carol Rama;
• PREMIO CAIRO: prize organized by the publisher Cairo Editore, whose participation is exclusively at the invitation of the editor of the magazine Arte, it is addressed to Italian under 40 artists, who exhibit their projects at the Palazzo Reale in Milan. The winner is awarded a cash prize of € 25,000 with a cover and article on Arte;
• PREMIO ACACIA: the award, aimed at young artists already established on the international scene and promoted by the ACACIA association, composed of Italian collectors, provides for the annual allocation of € 20,000 and, from 2015, the possibility of exhibiting at the Museo del Novecento of Milan, entering the permanent collection of the museum;

International Art Awards:

• HUGO BOSS PRIZE: biennial prize, aimed at world-class artists, established in 1996, was won, among others, by Matthew Barney and Pierre Huyghe. The winner gets $ 100,000 and has the opportunity, almost unique, to exhibit with a solo show at the prestigious Solomon Guggenheim Museum of New York.
• MARCEL DUCHAMP PRIZE: established in 2000, the award is dedicated to French artists or residents in the French territory, boasts an important collaboration with the Centre Pompidou of Paris. In addition to a cash prize of € 35,000, the winner is entitled to a solo exhibition in the famous cultural center.
• TURNER PRIZE: established in London in 1984 and reserved for artists under 50 English or resident in Great Britain. The winners, including Damien Hirst, Wolfgang Tillmans and Anish Kapoor, are entitled to £ 25,000 and the opportunity to exhibit at the Tate Britain of London. [/signinlocker]

Whether you win or not, the art prizes are an important milestone for the validation of an artist’s career: they enhance the artistic research and attract the attention of collectors, gallery owners, museum directors, art critics and curators.