COAL Prize 2025: Freshwater – A Call for Transformative Art

Water has all the time been on the coronary heart of life, but its significance is usually missed. The COAL Prize 2025: Freshwater seeks to vary this narrative by calling on artists to focus on water’s significance, advocate for its safety, and discover its symbolic and sacred roles. Open for functions till April 20, 2025, this prestigious prize invites artists to develop initiatives that tackle the ecological, political, and poetic dimensions of water.

The Urgency of Freshwater Conservation

Water is crucial to all life kinds, but solely a small fraction of Earth’s water is freshwater. While some areas expertise its abundance, others face shortage. Human actions—industrialization, intensive agriculture, and urbanization—are disrupting pure water cycles, resulting in droughts, floods, and air pollution. The COAL Prize 2025 urges artists to reimagine the way forward for freshwater, restoring its cycles and making certain equitable entry.

An Artistic Call to Action

The COAL Prize 2025 invites artists to discover water’s function in shaping landscapes, sustaining ecosystems, and defining cultures. The initiative seeks to elevate water to the middle of public consciousness by means of artwork, storytelling, and group engagement. The chosen initiatives ought to embody the theme “Being Transformative”, demonstrating new views and modern approaches to freshwater conservation.

Key Details

• Application Deadline: April 20, 2025

• Nominees Announced: Summer 2025

• Winners Announced & Award Ceremony: Autumn 2025 at Sans Réserve, an occasion devoted to inventive ecological engagement

Selection Criteria

Applications shall be evaluated primarily based on:

• Artistic Value: The depth and originality of creative expression

• Relevance: A sturdy understanding of the theme “Being Transformative”

• Innovation: The introduction of latest views on water and its function in ecological stability

• Educational Impact: The means to speak pressing points and encourage change

• Community Engagement: Social and participatory dimensions of the venture

• Eco-Design & Feasibility: Consideration of sustainability in execution

Awards and Opportunities

• COAL Prize Winner: €12,000 and a residency at Domaine de Belval, guided by the François Sommer Foundation

• Jury’s Special Prize: €3,000

• Ateliers Médicis Prize: Residency in Clichy-sous-Bois/Montfermeil

• Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles/Paris Mention: €2,000 and an exhibition alternative

How to Apply

Artists should submit their functions in a single PDF file named NAME_Firstname_2025_Project-Title (max 30 MB) through the COAL server at add.projetcoal.org.

The application ought to embody:

1. Completed Application Form

2. Detailed Project Description (creative imaginative and prescient, relevance, technical feasibility, and estimated finances)

3. At Least Two Visuals illustrating the venture

4. CV and Portfolio

A Platform for Artistic and Environmental Advocacy

Since its inception in 2010, the COAL Prize has been a number one platform for artists tackling ecological points. Supported by the French Ministry of Culture, the Office Français de la Biodiversité, and different key establishments, the prize amplifies the voices of artists dedicated to environmental transformation.

A Shared Responsibility

Water sustains all life, but its future is unsure. The COAL Prize 2025: Freshwater invites artists to rethink our relationship with water, advocate for its safety, and contribute to a shared world imaginative and prescient for sustainable water administration.

For extra particulars, go to COAL’s official website.

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