Arts Express, a visual arts education charity dedicated to ‘making the joy of creating a work of art available to everyone’, has just launched a new prize aimed at profiling and celebrating the works of artists who create projects with community groups.
The £1000 People’s Art Prize – which is being endorsed by artists Jeremy Deller and Sokari Douglas-Camp – is open to artists and organisations who work with the participation and cooperation of any community of people.
Alongside the award, all projects submitted will be publicly showcased on the People’s Art Prize website. Arts Express says it is the first ever community arts prize in the UK.
Director Damion Viney explained: “There are two important elements for the prize – the quality of the creation process, and the quality of the final product.
“We believe art is for everyone, even people who may have never set foot inside a gallery. The People’s Art Prize is about getting people excited about the art happening in their area.”
Douglas-Camp, whose work was shortlisted for the Trafalgar Square fourth plinth commission in 2003 and is heading the prize jury, hopes it will highlight to politicians the possibilities of community art as a way to bring people together.
“Community art is magic,” she said. “Different people come together in a way you just don’t see in other parts of life.
“Young people, older people, different nationalities and abilities: community art breaks isolation and I’m so excited for this prize to celebrate and support the best of community art happening right now. ”
Artists and arts organisations can submit a project online at www.peoples-art-prize.co.uk
