Access Bank ART X Prize for African Artists 2022

Applications are now open for the Access ART X Prize. The Prize awards early-career artists from Africa and its Diaspora with opportunities to develop their practices, with the intention of setting them up for the highest levels of success on the global stage. Formerly open only to Nigerian emerging artists, The 2022/3 edition has evolved to include an additional award that is open to emerging artists from all of Africa and its Diaspora, in a bid to buttress sustainable careers for a wider range of artists.The Prize awards early-career artists from Africa and its Diaspora with opportunities to develop their practices, with the intention of setting them up for the highest levels of success on the global stage. The Prize, formerly open only to emerging Nigerian artists, has evolved to include an additional award that is open to emerging artists from all of Africa and its Diaspora, in a bid to buttress sustainable careers for a wider range of artists. For the 2022/3 edition of the prize, one artist will be selected from Nigeria, who will undergo a residency at Gasworks London. Another artist from Africa and its Diaspora will be selected to undergo a residency at Yinka Shonibare’s G.A.S. Foundation in Lagos. Both artists will be granted exhibitions at the ART X Lagos fair in 2023 supported by grants of $10,000 for their exhibition.

About Access Bank

Over the past 26 years, Access Bank Plc. has evolved from an obscure Nigerian Bank into a world-class African financial institution. Today, we are one of the five largest banks in Nigeria in terms of assets, loans, deposits and branch network; a feat which has been achieved through a robust long-term approach to client solutions – providing committed and innovative advice. Access Bank has built its strength and success in corporate banking and is now applying that expertise to the personal and business banking platforms it acquired from Nigeria’s International Commercial bank in 2012. T... read more

Access ART X Prize

Aim and Benefits of Access ART X Prize

The Nigerian Winner Will Receive:

• Gasworks UK Residency Award
• Exhibition at ART X Lagos
• Supported by a $10,000 Grant
• An opportunity for cultural exchange

AND 

The African / Diasporan Winner Will Receive:

• Yinka Shonibare GAS Foundation NG Residency Award
• Exhibition at ART X Lagos
• Supported by a $10,000 Grant
• An opportunity for cultural exchange

Requirements for Access ART X Prize Qualification

• Formerly open only to Nigerian emerging artists, The 2022/3 edition has evolved to include an additional award that is open to emerging artists from all of Africa and its Diaspora, in a bid to buttress sustainable careers for a wider range of artists.

Interview date, Process and Venue for Access ART X Prize

The Access ART X Prize 2022 will be judged by an esteemed jury which includes Alessio Antoniolli (Director, Gasworks & The Triangle Network), Dr Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung (Artistic Director, SAVVY Contemporary), Gabi Ncgobo (Artist and Curatorial Director, Javett Art Centre (Javett-UP), University of Pretoria), Maria Varnava (Founder, Tiwani Contemporary), Professor Peju Layiwola (Artist and Historian), and Victor Ehikhamenor (Artist).

Documents Required for Application

• ARTIST’S BIO:Please upload a PDF that contains a description or summary of your life, career and practice leading up to the present moment. Kindly include your educational background (formal or self-taught), recent exhibitions or career highlights, relevant biographical information (where you grew up, where you create your work), and an overview of your artistic practice, interests and portfolio as well as the concepts, materials, or questions which guide your working process. Kindly provide details for 2 references – full name, position/title, email address and phone number in your Bio. Maximum Length: 3 pages.
• PORTFOLIO:Please submit a PDF or zipped folder of not more than 200MB containing: a selection of 10 works (images, video links, etc.) as well as a numbered list of the corresponding works. This list must include the Title, Date, Media, Dimensions (Height x Width x Depth, if applicable) or Duration of each work. The complete caption information should read as follows: FirstName, LastName, Title, Year. For example, Femi Ogunji, Starlight, 2022.
• MOTIVATION LETTER:Please upload a PDF with a statement on how as a Nigerian or African/Diasporan Participant, you will maximize either the Gasworks London UK or the Yinka Shonibare GAS Foundation NG residency opportunity respectively, if selected. Kindly include a summary of your connection to Africa (descent, heritage, lineage or other, etc). Maximum Length: 300 words.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Two winners will be selected; one from Nigeria and one from Africa/The Diaspora.

For more details,visit the website