PRIO & INSPIRE are proud to announce the unveiling of the INSPIRE Art Award. The Award aims to support artists whose creative practice responds to experiences of war, political violence, and violent conflict.
The INSPIRE Art Award is an initiative of Inspirational Creative Practice: The Work of Artists after War and Violent Conflict (INSPIRE). INSPIRE is a research project that studies the role of artists and creative practice in and after violent conflict. The project is hosted by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) and connected to the PRIO Centre on culture and violent conflict (CCC)
This global Award is open to artists who are invited to apply on an open call basis. The INSPIRE Art Award offers selected artists a showing of their work (exhibition, installation, performance) in partnership with major cultural and art institutions in Norway and Switzerland.
The lead artist for the project is Simone Fattal who has consigned a work to the fundraising campaign.
The INSPIRE Art Award is very grateful to partner with Nitja Centre for Contemporary Art, Goethe Institut, the Peacebuilding and the Arts Program (Brandeis University), Residency Unlimited and Thanks for Nothing. Nitja, located near Oslo in Lillestrøm, will host the INSPIRE Art Award Ceremony and the Group Presentation in spring 2024. Residency Unlimited will host the winner artist and is waving their program fee.
Shortlisted Artists for 1st Edition of the INSPIRE Art Award
Close to 100 applications from talented artists around the world were received representing 35 countries, showing how many people and places are affected by war, displacement and political violence. The jury considered all applications carefully and after extensive deliberations, are honoured to present the five nominees.
PRIO and the INSPIRE Project are proud to present the five nominees for the 1st edition of the INSPIRE Art Award:
Zahrasadet Hakim, visual artist from Iran/Iraq (based in Switzerland)
Daria Pugachova, performance artist Ukraine (based in Ukraine)
Gervais Tomadiatunga, dancer from DRC (based in France)
Zun May Oo, visual artist from Myanmar (based in Thailand)
Eyoeal Kefyalew, photographer from Ethiopia (based in Ethiopia)
Award Ceremony
The INSPIRE Award Ceremony and exhibition opening will take place 20 April 2024 from 14:00 to 17:00 at Nitja Centre for Contemporary Art at Lillestrøm. The exhibition can be visited until 2 June 2024. Find more information on accompanying events here.
Program 20 April
14:00 Welcome - Kathrine Wilson, Director of Nitja
14:05 Introduction to Inspire Art Award - Katarzyna Grabska, Research Professor at PRIO
INSPIRE project leader 14:10 Opening remarks - Henrik Urdal, Director of PRIO
14:20 Price ceremony and congratulations to the artists - Akram Khan, on behalf of the INSPIRE Art Award Jury
15:15 Dance performance - Gervais Tomadiatunga
Entry is free on the opening day.
Jury Members:
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Anaïs Lellouche | Curator and Founder of the INSPIRE Art Award (© Photo by Martin Behrman, Courtesy Guest Work Agency, 2020) -
Toni Shapiro-Phim | Dance Ethnologist and Cultural Anthropologist (© Toni Shapiro-Phim) -
Marine Van Schoonbeek | Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder, Teacher -
Othman Lazraq | Co-founder, Director and President -
Huda Lutfi | Visual Artist and Cultural Historian (© Huda Lutfi) -
Akram Khan | Dance Artist (© Max Barnett) -
Monica Holmen | Director and Curator (© Camilla von Køppen)