Artes Mundi 12 — artist nomination for a £40,000 prize and participation in an international biennial in the UK
Sometimes the key opportunity isn’t an open call that you apply for yourself, but a system in which you can be spotted and nominated. This is how one of the most influential awards in contemporary art operates — as an opportunity accessed through professional recognition.
Artes Mundi 12 is one of the most prestigious contemporary art institutions in Europe, based in Cardiff (Wales, UK).
For over 20 years, it has been shaping exhibitions and an award programme that engage with themes of human experience, social reality and global change.
Unlike most open calls, the focus is not only on the project itself, but on the artist’s long-term practice and its significance in the context of time.
Nominations for Artes Mundi 12 are now open — this is not just a submission, but a way to place an artist within an international selection process that shapes the biennial and the prize shortlist.
The Artes Mundi Biennial takes place in Cardiff and is a key part of the award programme. It is not simply an exhibition of finalists, but a curatorial project that brings together artists from different countries and considers their practices within the context of global processes and social change. Participation in the biennial means entering an institutional environment where contemporary artistic discourse and international professional connections are formed.
What does participation offer
The prize offers several levels of professional development:
— £40,000 for the winner
— participation in the Artes Mundi Biennial
— an exhibition in the UK
— inclusion on the shortlist for an international prize
— attention from curators, institutions and the art community
The finalists’ works become part of an institutional context and may be included in collections, including collaborations with the National Museums of Wales.
How the nomination process works
This is not a traditional application process — and it is important to recognise this.
Anyone working in the arts or with an interest in the field can nominate an artist via an online form. After that:
— applications are reviewed by an international jury and a curatorial team
— a list of exhibition participants is drawn up from all the nominations
— these artists automatically become contenders for the prize
In effect, it functions as a filter within the professional community: an artist comes to the fore through the eyes of others.
What are the requirements for nominated artists
The application form provides a clear understanding of the selection criteria:
— artists may be from any country
— as a rule, these are artists with exhibition experience (including international experience)
— level: emerging or mid-career, with a developed practice
— works should address themes of human experience, society, politics and ecology
Important: it is not an individual work that is assessed, but the artist’s overall practice.
When submitting a nomination, it is advisable to ensure compliance with these criteria — the programme is aimed at artists with an established practice and experience working in a professional context.
What is required for nomination
The nomination form is fairly simple, but requires a thoughtful approach: you need to provide information about the nominator, the artist’s name, country of residence and origin, as well as include a website or portfolio and a short statement (up to 200 words).
The key point is to explain why this particular artist is important right now.
It is also important to understand the context of the process: the artist may not even be aware of the nomination — which is acceptable, there is no limit to the number of nominations, the decision rests solely with the jury, and submission does not guarantee participation but rather marks entry into the selection process, making the programme closer to an institutional model than to traditional open calls.
Why it’s worth paying attention to
Artes Mundi is not just a competition, but part of the institutional framework of contemporary art, where names and contexts are shaped.
Even the act of nomination is itself a form of recognition.
And making it onto the shortlist is a step onto the international stage, where decisions are made not by algorithms, but by the professional community.
And separately, it is a powerful tool for curators and colleagues: an opportunity to support an artist not with words, but with action.
The deadline for applications is 31 May 2026.
