Call for nominations: Dia al-Azzawi Prize for Public Art 2026

The Dia Azzawi Prize for Public Art seeks transformative permanent and temporary projects of all types, ranging from murals, sculptures, monuments, installations, public spaces, graffiti, architecture and planning. These artworks should not be exhibited in private spaces or as part of private collections, but rather in public spaces to ensure their accessibility to wider communities. 

Submissions may include individual public artworks or coherent bodies of work presented as a single public art intervention. Conventional gallery exhibitions or indoor exhibitions are not eligible unless they form part of a wider public space intervention. 

To be eligible for consideration, projects must be completed between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2025 and should have been exhibited for a while, thereby verifying their impact on the surrounding environment. 

There are no restrictions on the type, nature, or cost of public art projects, but eligible projects must be based in any of the following countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen. 

Aims 

- Recognise artworks within the urban context that have had a transformative impact on their community. 

- Empower and support young and emerging artists, architects, designers and studios. 

- Respond to a challenging phase for public art in the Near East and North Africa — where there is a crucial need for a more accomplished and exemplary contemporary evaluation and assessment of work. 

- Create educational material in Arabic and English based on the academic review, analysis and research undertaken on the submitted entries. 

- Introduce emerging and established regional artists to a broader community, nurturing a long-lasting network and community of like-minded individuals interested in the betterment of regional urban environments. 

- Establish dialogue with local authorities responsible for public art to enhance public art in the Middle East and North Africa to that of an international level of excellence. 

The Prize 

The winner of the Dia al-Azzawi Prize for Public Art will receive a statue and medal designed by Dia al-Azzawi. If the winner is a team, each member will receive a medal, while the whole team will receive one statue. Travel and flight expenses to attend the annual ceremony will be covered for the winner only (if the winner is a team, then they must select a representative to cover their travel costs). 

Criteria 

- Excellence is the fundamental criterion of the Dia Azzawi Prize for Public Art. 

- This excellence is demonstrated through a project’s transformative impact on its environment, its accessibility to diverse publics, and the quality of its design, narrative, public engagement, use of materials, and technical execution. 

- Particular attention is given to public art projects that embody the spirit or collective sensibilities of contemporary life. Projects that reflect collaboration and collective processes are strongly encouraged. 

- The jury will assess submissions holistically, considering conceptual strength, public impact, accessibility, technical resolution, and the quality of representation. 

Key Dates 

Submission Deadline: 30/11/2026 

Judging period: December 2026 

Winner Announcement: January 2027

https://tamayouz-award.com/