Turner Prize Replaced with funds for struggling artists

The Turner Prize remains one of the most prestigious art awards in the world, providing £40,000 to the winner, as well as extensive media coverage. Named after the English painter J. M. W. Turner, the annual prize has presented to a British artist working in any media since 1984. Past winners include Martin Creed, Steve McQueen, Chris Ofili, Rachel Whiteread, Anish Kapoor, Gilbert & George, Damian Hirst, Jeremy Deller, Susan Philipsz, Mark Leckey, Douglas Gordon, Richard Long, Gillian Wearing, etc.

Last year the shortlisted artists (Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Helen Cammock, Oscar Murillo and Tai Shani) requested that the award be shared collectively, which was granted. This year the award the award has been called off in favour of emergency funding:

"Britain’s Turner Prize will not be awarded this year. Instead of announcing the artists shortlisted for the prestigious contemporary art award, organizers revealed today that they have opted to call off the prize’s fall exhibition, which would have run from September 30 to January 3, 2021 and featured new work by the artists, and will instead divide its $123,000 program fund into $12,000 bursaries that will be given to ten artists affected by the Covid-19 pandemic."

Read the full story at Artforum, here.