Each year, the Prince Claus Fund grants the Seed Award to 100 emerging artists who work in contexts where cultural expression is under pressure. The Seed Award is intended to give emerging artists the chance to amplify their practice and interests, thereby sparking a new wave of change makers.
Each Seed Award recipient will receive a grant of €5 000 (about $5 260) to invest in developing their artistic and cultural practice on their own terms. The Seed Award is a trust-based grant, allowing recipients to determine the best way to utilise the support for their artistic and cultural development. This could include exploring new perspectives and nurturing connections, investing in materials, or simply taking time to experiment and focus on their work without financial pressures.
The Seed Award offers support to talented and engaged emerging artists and cultural practitioners who are committed to improving their contexts and societies through socially and politically engaged work. We are particularly interested in supporting those with a grounded and innovative art practice that is inclusive in its process, implementation, and reach.
Prince Claus Seed Award accepts applications from individual applicants who:
Are in the early and exploratory stages of their career, within the initial 1 to 5 years of their professional career (excluding study years).
Have established an innovative and interesting artistic or cultural practice that addresses pressing social/political issues that are important within their local context.
Have received little to no institutional recognition/support for their artistic/cultural practices.
Are from, living, and working in our eligible countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe.
Application process
Applicants can apply by submitting an application on the Prince Claus Award online application platform before 21 January. The application form includes a set of questions and requires supplementary materials which include: samples of work, a C.V. and reference letter, and a pitch answering the question: What drives the applicant as an artist?
Note: Only completed applications that are submitted via the Prince Claus Awards Platform will be considered.
