From 5 September through 15 October 2023, a call for entries is open for the 2024 Erarta Prize: the first ever contemporary art prize to be judged by the viewers. In 2024, the total prize money to be awarded to the artists will be increased to 3.5 million rubles. At the suggestion of our most engaged viewers who took part in various prize-related activities, the total 2024 prize value will be fully allocated towards supporting the artists and distributed among the nominees according to the viewers’ judgement.

Launched in 2023, the project was justly awarded the title of Project of the Year in the Arts Category by the Delovoy Peterburg daily business newspaper. On that occasion, the total prize value equalled 3.2 million rubles and was divided between artists (2.5 million rubles) and active viewers (700,000 rubles).

The artworks by 61 contestants selected by the museum to compete for the 2023 Erarta Prize were showcased in a large-scale exhibition held at Erarta’s Grand Hall. The exhibition featured paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, installations, photographs, video art, as well as other contemporary art media. The show was on display from 9 February through 11 June 2023 – over the span of four months, exhibition visitors voted for the artworks of their choice. 

 

The viewers shortlisted 10 artists for the second voting round. Its results were announced at the 2023 Erarta Prize’s closing gala event, and the exact distribution of the 2.5 million rubles in prize money among the winning artists was finalised. The artwork ranked first by the viewers was Eclipse by Tamerlane Tles.

The museum’s collaboration with the 2023 Erarta Prize nominees continues: presently, the works by four artists were added to Erarta’s permanent collection; seven artists were invited by the museum’s Curatorial Team to have their solo exhibitions at Erarta – two of the latter have been staged already.

 

 

As to the 2024 Erarta Prize awarding procedure, several changes have been introduced: for instance, the holders of valid Erarta Museum Tickets and Memberships from various parts of Russia who will not be able to travel to St. Petersburg during the period of the 2024 Erarta Prize exhibition will have the option to vote in absentia.

There will be a total of three voting rounds. The first two, scheduled to close on 17 March and 25 April respectively, will shortlist the 10 winning artists. A total of 40 nominees will compete for the 2024 Erarta Prize. Another new feature is the introduction of a guaranteed reward for all participants that will depend on their exact ranking. Additional details of the voting procedure, the 2024 prize money distribution, and other new features can be found here.

Erarta Museum invites everyone to take an active part in staging the exhibition and determining the winners of the 2024 Erarta Prize. This is going to be unmissable!