Young Artists Competition in the UAE 2026 Offering $10,000 in Funding for Art Projects
Applicant criteria
- NationalityUnited Arab Emirates
- Age18 - 35
- GenderBoth
Opportunity criteria
- Opportunity FieldMusic, Art and Graphic Design
- Job locationUnited Arab Emirates
- Deadline2027-02-01
Opportunity description
New York University Abu Dhabi (NYU Abu Dhabi), in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), invites UAE-based artists to apply for the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award, a public art competition. The award supports the creation of an original artwork for public exhibition in the UAE, and submissions close on February 1, 2027.
About the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Public Art Award
The competition welcomes proposals for public artworks in any medium, including photography, film, land art and sculpture. The winning artist receives USD 10,000 to develop the proposed work over a six-month period. The final work is planned for public exhibition across venues in the UAE in November 2027.
Submissions open on October 1, 2026. The winner will be announced on April 30, 2027. An independent panel of art experts evaluates the entries, and its decisions are final and binding. Applicants must have a mentor who nominates them and commits to supporting the work through its production and installation. A mentor may be a practicing artist, a current or former professor, a client, a gallerist, or another person the applicant wants to work with.
Proposals should be original, practical and suitable for public display. Applicants should consider whether their work can be made within the USD 10,000 award budget, whether they have a suitable workspace, and whether they can complete the work on time alongside other commitments. Outdoor works must be able to withstand wind, rain and sun, and proposed work must be safe for display in a public space. The guidelines encourage applicants to research production costs and base estimates on initial supplier quotes.
Applicants complete an online application form and provide a detailed description of the work, technical specifications and an artist’s statement. The requested materials also include a budget form and a production schedule form. Digital visuals of the proposed artwork must be submitted as PNG, JPEG or PDF files and must meet the file-size limits specified in the application guidelines. Entries may be submitted individually or by a group of up to three authors. Multiple entries from the same author or authors are not permitted.
Who Should Apply
This award is intended for artists based in the UAE who graduated from a university or college within the last seven years, or who are full-time degree students enrolled at a UAE university or college. Applicants must be 18 to 35 years old, hold a valid Emirates ID and have a mentor supporting and nominating their entry. Applicants should be ready to develop an original public artwork and plan its production and installation. Browse other competitions and awards or explore opportunities for young people.
Key Highlights
- Opportunity type: public art competition.
- Award: USD 10,000 to develop the winning proposal over six months.
- Location: UAE, with the winning work planned for exhibition at venues across the country.
- Submission deadline: February 1, 2027.
- Winner announcement: April 30, 2027; planned public exhibition: November 2027.
Benefits
- A USD 10,000 monetary award to develop the proposed work over a six-month period.
- Public exhibition of the winning work across venues in the UAE, planned for November 2027.
- Winners may receive exhibition opportunities, global media exposure and mentorship as required to realise the proposed artwork.
- Support from a professional team of curators, technicians and mentors during development, production and installation.
- Participants retain full ownership of their submitted works. ADMAF receives a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to display, reproduce, distribute and use submissions for promotional, educational and archival purposes, with proper attribution.
Eligibility criteria
- Applicants must be artists based in the UAE.
- Applicants must have graduated from a university or college within the last seven years, or be full-time degree students enrolled at a UAE university or college.
- Participants must be between 18 and 35 years old and legally capable of entering into a binding agreement. If legal capacity is in question, documented consent from a legal guardian is required.
- Applicants must hold a valid Emirates ID. The award is open to Emiratis and UAE-based residents.
- Each applicant must be nominated and supported by a mentor who commits to working with them through production and installation.
- Entries may be individual or submitted by a group of up to three authors. Multiple entries from the same author or authors are not permitted.
- Submissions must be original and must not infringe upon any third party’s intellectual property rights.
- Employees, contractors and representatives of the organising body, sponsors or ADMAF-affiliated partners are ineligible unless explicitly stated otherwise in the terms.
- Submissions must include a detailed work description, technical specifications, an artist’s statement, a budget form and a production schedule form. Artwork visuals must be PNG, JPEG or PDF files and comply with the file formats and size limits specified in the guidelines.
Ready to apply?
Young Artists Competition in the UAE 2026 Offering $10,000 in Funding for Art Projects