Call for Submissions to the Seventh International Awards for Art Criticism (IAAC 7), 2020
The Seventh Edition of the International Awards for Art Criticism (IAAC 7) 2020, was open to candidates from anywhere in the world writing in Chinese or English about any contemporary art exhibition held anywhere in world or on-line between 15 September 2019 and 20 December 2020. This year the Awards, which are judged anonymously, will be extended to include reviews of on-line exhibitions or specially curated on-line displays of contemporary art. Candidates are invited to write a review of 1,500 words or 2,500 Chinese characters on any exhibition of contemporary art.
* The First Prize will consist of a cash award of 10,000 Euros or the RMB equivalent of this amount (currently, around 80,000 RMB) and a fully funded short programme of visits and meetings in Shanghai or London.
* Each of the Second Prize winners (three in total) will be awarded a cash prize of 3,500 Euros or the RMB equivalent of this amount (currently, around 30,000 RMB).
* A shortlist of around 20 entries will be selected for inclusion in the print publication, Exhibition Reviews Annual, due out in around June 2021.
Closing date for entries: 20 December 2020
The new panel of jurors for the IAAC 7 will be as follows:
Iara Boubnova, Director of the National Gallery of Bulgaria, Sofia Rhana Devenport, Director of the Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide Ding Ning, Professor of Art History and Theory, Peking University, Beijing Richard Dyer, Editor in Chief of Third Text Pauline J. Yao, Lead Curator, Visual Art, M+ Hong Kong
The Awards are explicitly intended to stimulate critical writing about contemporary art, away from the immediate pressures of the market, media and private or state patronage. They place special emphasis on good writing, thinking, dialogue and research. They are judged anonymously, without reference to age, status or professional background.
Henry Meyric Hughes, Chair of the IAAC Ltd. and Joint Chair of the Organising Committee, adds that: ‘This year, we are widening the scope of the Awards, to include reviews of on-line exhibitions and displays of contemporary art. This is to take into account the period when many public and private institutions have been forced to close. We also hope that it will serve to attract a still wider entry from critics and writers about art.’
Gan ZhiYi, Director of Shanghai Minsheng Art Musuem and Joint-Chair of the Organising Committee for IAAC hope the power of words and arts will travelling all along the time and space, bring us the courage to face this difficult time.
The IAAC 7 are hosted by an International Board, adjudicated by an international jury and organised by the Shanghai Minsheng Art Museum. They are held in partnership with the Royal College of Art (RCA), London, Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) and International Association of Art Critics (AICA). The principal sponsor is the China Minsheng Banking Corporation Ltd. (CMBC).
How to apply
A new system has been set up for the IAAC 7, in order to facilitate submissions. All candidates are invited to log in to the official IAAC website, enter the relevant details and upload their review and any accompanying images. They may then return to the site to add or alter information at any time up to the deadline for submissions.
Selection Process
The objectivity of the selection process is underpinned, both by the recognised professionalism of the Chinese and English-speaking jury members and by the strict anonymity of the judging process.
All valid entries will initially be sorted and shortlisted by the organisers and academic partners in China and the UK, then translated into Chinese (for English entries) or English (for Chinese entries).
The final adjudication will be in English, at a meeting of the combined panel of Chinese and English-speaking judges towards middle of November in Shanghai, and announced to the media immediately afterwards.
Contact Us
Chinese-language: Shanghai Minsheng Art Museum
Address: Building 3, No.210, Wenshui Rd, Jingan, Shanghai (p.c.:200072)
Tel: +86 (0)21 6105 2121
Email: iaac@minshengartmuseum.com
English-language: School of Fine Art, Royal College of Art
Address: 20 Howie Street, London, SW11 4AS
Tel: +44 (0)20 7590 4423
Email: IAAC@rca.ac.uk
