Christo award open for submissions for next year

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. December 11, 2015/// The sculpture by Artists Nada Al Mulla and Salwa Al Khudairi, called “Keswa”, won the Christo & Jeanne-Claude Award, 2015. AbuDhabi, United Arab EShow more

The 2017 Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award is now open for submissions. The award aims to cultivate emerging artistic talent in the UAE by recognising the creation of an artwork that, in the spirit of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, can be publicly exhibited and enjoyed.

It is open to all young artists in the UAE who have graduated in the past five years and applicants can use any medium they choose.

Presented by NYU Abu Dhabi under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Shamsa Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, and in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), the winner will receive US$10,000 to fund future artistic projects.

“Producing a work of public art is among the most challenging and rewarding projects an artist can undertake: surmounting the challenges of such projects means the artist’s work will reach a much wider audience. With this award, Christo supports a rare opportunity for young artists to gain a very specialised skillset: creating public art,” says Maya Allison, the director of NYUAD Art Gallery.

Hoda Al Khamis-Kanoo, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and artistic director of the Abu Dhabi Festival, added: “There is so much artistic talent grown and nurtured in the UAE and the quality of the submissions we have seen in the past has really been a credit to this. At ADMAF, we pride ourselves on giving this talent a platform on which to shine, and I am very excited to see what the Award, now in its fifth year, will bring to the 2017 Abu Dhabi Festival.”

Applications are open until December 7, 2016. To apply, entrants must complete an online application form, including a proposed budget, available at nyuad.nyu.edu/christo