Abraaj to bring more art winners into fold

Abraaj Capital Art Prize organisers have increased the number of winners from three to five and have announced a new application process that would allow artists to nominate themselves for the prize.

These changes have been put in place to offer more contemporary artists from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (Menasa) an opportunity to benefit from the global recognition of the prize.

"We have concluded that increasing the number of winners from three to five will give more artists from this culturally rich region of 1.6 billion people the opportunity to create a work of art that pushes the boundaries and offers them an international platform to showcase their work," said Savita Apte, Chair of the Abraaj Capital Art Prize.

The $1 million (Dh3.6m) prize has been awarded twice since its launch in 2008 by Dubai-based Abraaj Capital, each time to three sets of winners comprising an artist and an internationally renowned curator.

The award is the world's most generous art prize and has quickly achieved international recognition, boosting the overall profile of art from the region as well as each of the winners. Unveiled each year at Art Dubai, the works of 2009 winners have been displayed this summer in the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City.

Fred Sicre, Executive Director of Abraaj Capital, said: "Having followed the progress of the 2009 Abraaj Capital Art Prize recipients, we have seen that winning the award has not only raised their status and acclaim in the international art world, it has also given them the opportunity of creating new, more monumental and ambitious artworks.

"Identifying and empowering potential is a key mission of Abraaj Capital, and by extending the prize to a larger field of artists, we further strengthen that objective in the Menasa art community."

Abraaj Capital, which was started in 2002, invests in Menasa, acquiring well-run and promising companies and turning them into regional and even worldwide champions. Artworks resulting from the prize form part of Abraaj Capital's corporate collection. To apply as an artist for the 2011 prize or for more information, please visit www.abraaj.com/acap.

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