Prize Categories

The ArtVenture Freedom to Create Prize is open to artists in all creative fields. The prize will be awarded to an individual, community group or organisation that uses its creative work to promote human rights including the right to freedom of expression in restrictive or repressive environments. This award carries a single US$ 50,000 prize split into two components. The winner of this award will receive US$ 25,000 and the remaining US$25,000 will be given to an organisation nominated by the winning entrant to further the cause the artwork has highlighted.

1. Individual or group of any gender, religion or nationality over the age of 18
2. Individual or group who use their art work to promote human rights including freedom of expression
3. Artist/s who have suffered or protested against repression in one form or another within a human rights context
4. Open to all forms of art
5. Entries will be judged on:
1. The artist’s use of the arts to highlight oppression within a human rights context
2. The message inherent in the piece or body of work
3. The nature of the oppression suffered by the artist/s and which is featured in the artwork/s
4. How the piece and the message was disseminated to the public
5. The nature of the impact of the art work in the broader community
6. The timing of the art work’s dissemination by reference to events at the time
7. The personal risk incurred by the entrant/s in creating and/or disseminating the artwork
8. How the successful entrant will use each component of the prize money allocated to them
9. What advocacy group the successful entrant nominates to further the cause the art work has highlighted, what its primary objective is, how successful it is in achieving its aims, and the specific campaign the prize monies will be directed towards

The ArtVenture Freedom to Create Youth Prize is open to artists in all creative fields who are under the age of 18 and who use their creative work to promote human rights including the right to freedom of expression in restrictive or repressive environments. The prize carries a total value of US$ 25,000, which will be split into two components. The youth or group of youths will receive a scholarship worth US$ 10,000, which must be applied to an educational course and the remaining US$ 15,000 will be given to an organization nominated by the youth or group of youths to further the cause the artwork has highlighted. If there is any balance or if the youth or group of youths decide not to undertake the course, the money will be allocated to the nominated advocacy group. ArtVenture and ARTICLE 19 reserves the right to make the final decision on the allocation of both components of the prize money.

1. Individual or group of any gender, religion or nationality under the age of 18. A birth certificate for each nominated party must be produced or some verification the entrant/s is/are under the age of 18 before October 31, 2008. In the event the entrant turns 18 after submission and before the deadline for submission, the entrant will be judged for the main AtrVenture Freedom to Create Prize which carries a US$ 50,000 prize.
2. Artist/s who have suffered or protested against repression in one form or another within a human rights context
3. The youth/s must be nominated by an adult
4. Open to all forms of art
5. Entries will be judged on:
1. The use of the arts to highlight oppression within a human rights context
2. The message inherent in the piece or body of work
3. The nature of the oppression suffered by the artist/s and which is featured in the artwork/s
4. How the piece and the message was disseminated
5. The nature of the impact of the art work in the broader community
6. The time of the art work’s dissemination in respect to the events at the time
7. The personal risk incurred by the entrant/s
8. How the successful entrant/s will use the prize money towards the furtherance of their education. The entrant/s must provide details on the school body including contact details and fees schedule
9. What advocacy group the successful entrant/s nominates, what its primary objective is, how successful it is in achieving its aims, and specific campaign the prize monies will be directed towards

The ArtVenture Freedom to Create Imprisoned Artist Prize focuses on artists who are currently imprisoned as a result of their artwork and its role in highlighting an injustice or contravention of human rights, including the right of freedom of expression. Please note, this prize differs from the previous two categories in that the panel will not be assessing entries on the merits of the artworks produced. Instead, the panel will assess entries on the personal risk incurred by the artist/s, the message they tried to convey through their work and the impact of their work. A single prize of US$ 25,000 will be directed towards securing the artist's/s' release, advocating on their behalf and their cause and providing a measure of support to their family/ies.

1. An artist or group of artists currently imprisoned due to their use of arts to highlight an injustice or oppression from political, economic, cultural, social and/or gender-related sources or contravention of human rights
2. Entries will be judged on
1. The artist/s’ use of the arts to highlight the oppression from political, economic, cultural, social or gender-related motivation
2. The message inherent in the piece or body of work
3. The nature of the impact of the art work in the broader community
4. The nature of the oppression the nominated artist/s addressed in the artwork
5. How the piece and the message was disseminated
6. The time of the art work’s dissemination in respect to the events at the time
7. The details of their sentence
8. The consequence of their imprisonment
9. How the prize money will be directed towards securing the winning entrant’s/s’ release, raising awareness of their plight and the issues against which they protested about, and any financial support which may be given to the entrant’s/s’ family/ies.