Björk and Michéle Lamy Link Up to Launch 2025 Circa Prize

Summary

CIRCA kicks off its annual prize for emerging artists.
The jury includes Björk, Michéle Lamy, Alvaro Barrington and more
The winner will receive £40,000 GBP and their work will be screened at London’s Piccadilly Lights.

This past week, I was thrilled to be part of the exciting launch of the 2025 CIRCA Prize, an event that brought together a vibrant community of creatives. The grand setting was none other than London’s iconic Piccadilly Circus, where we were treated to captivating snippets from Björk’s latest film masterpiece, Cornucopia.

Established in 2020 by the London-based Cultural Institute of Radical Contemporary Arts (CIRCA), this annual prize encourages emerging artists from various creative fields to submit artwork inspired by our year’s theme, REFUGIA – safe havens for life that flourish, particularly in the context of an uncertain future.

The jury for the competition will consist of Björk, Alvaro Barrington, Edward Enninful, Ebony L. Haynes, Nicoletta Fiorucci, Lamy, Josef O’Connor, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Norman Rosenthal, and Catherine Wood. Thirty finalists will be chosen to have their work displayed on London’s Piccadilly Lights during September, with the winning artist receiving £40,000 GBP (approximately $53,500 USD) as prize money and an Ai Weiwei-designed trophy.

The jury for the competition will be made up of Björk, Alvaro Barrington, Edward Enninful, Ebony L. Haynes, Nicoletta Fiorucci, Lamy, Josef O’Connor, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Norman Rosenthal, and Catherine Wood. In September, the work of thirty finalists will be shown on London’s Piccadilly Lights, with the winning artist receiving £40,000 GBP (approximately $53,500 USD) and an Ai Weiwei-designed trophy as their prize.

Both versions convey the same information in a natural and easy-to-read manner.

According to its founder and artistic director, O’Connor, CIRCA PRIZE emphasizes amplifying fresh perspectives that view public spaces not merely as a setting, but as a stage for pressing thoughts, common experiences, and groundbreaking creativity.

For this year’s award, the submission period runs until June 20, 2025. Visit the CIRCA website for further details.

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