The selection offers an opportunity to discover artists at the beginning of their careers and compare emerging practices across the region. Memory, identity, belonging and bodily autonomy recur throughout the works, alongside questions about institutions, technology and collective responsibility.
Painting accounts for almost half of the artworks, alongside installation, sculpture, photography, printmaking, video and other media. Finland contributes this year’s largest group, with 42 graduates presenting 73 works.
“Graduation exhibitions are places where curators, gallerists and collectors discover new artists, but visiting every exhibition across the region is rarely possible. Bringing these works together makes that possible for a much wider audience. We invite people to spend time with the artworks, find artists whose work speaks to them and follow their development,” says Andra Orn, the award’s organiser.
Explore the works and vote by 29 November
Visitors can browse artworks by country and medium. Each artwork links to further information about the work and its creator. Members of the public can vote for up to five favourite artworks. The Public Choice Award goes to the artist whose artwork receives the most votes.
The Grand Prix recipient receives €2,000, while the Painting Award recipient receives €1,000. The Photography Award and Public Choice Award recipients each receive €500. Additional prizes include artist residencies and exhibition opportunities, including a two-week VISCOSA residency with free accommodation and workspace. An international jury selects the Grand Prix, Painting Award and Photography Award recipients. Winners will be announced in December.
Established in 2016 by Nordic Baltic Art Center NOBA in collaboration with the region’s academies and universities, the award has grown into a network connecting graduates, academies, curators, museums and wider audiences.
The participating institutions are the Estonian Academy of Arts; Pallas University of Applied Sciences; Art Academy of Latvia; Vilnius Academy of Arts; Academy of Fine Arts, Uniarts Helsinki; Turku University of Applied Sciences; Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design; and Umeå Academy of Fine Arts.
Explore the artworks and vote: NOBA.ac/award
