Max Mara Art Prize for Women, in collaboration with Whitechapel Gallery

The Prize

The Max Mara Art Prize for Women reflects Max Mara's close relationship with the worlds both of women and of art. The prize – awarded every two years and open to all art forms – aims to encourage and support emerging women artists who live and work in the United Kingdom, which today is one of the centres of the international art scene. The prize provides an opportunity for further development of their creative potential by way of the creation of a new artwork.

From its ninth edition, the Prize is curated and chaired by Gilane Tawadros - current Director of Whitechapel Gallery. Tawadros succeeded to the longtime previous Director Iwona Blazwick, who also founded and chaired the Prize since its first announcement in 2005. Each edition of the Prize is entrusted to a specially appointed four-member jury, nominated by the Director of Whitechapel Gallery, that consists of an art critic/writer, an artist, a gallerist and a collector, each of whom nominates five artists. These initial proposals are then pared down to a final shortlist of five candidates, each of whom is commissioned to make a proposal for a new project. The winner artist is awarded a six-month residency in Italy, supported by the Collection, to realize her project. The new work is then shown at Whitechapel Gallery and Collezione Maramotti, which acquires it.

In March 2007, the Max Mara Art Prize for Women was the recipient of the prestigious British Council Arts & Business International Award.

More info