Section 1 – PURPOSES
Section 2 – ADMISSION AND SELECTION STANDARDS
Section 3 – TERMS AND PROCEDURES
Section 4 – REGISTRATION FEE
Section 5 – SELECTION PROCEDURES
Section 6 – THE JURY AND THE SELECTION
Section 7 – REWARDS
Section 8 – THE STEPS AND THE DEADLINES
Section 9 – THE CATALOGUE
Section 10 – RESPONSIBILITIES
Section 11 – PRIVACY CONSENT
Section 1 – PURPOSES
The Blow Up Cultural Association presents the fourth edition of the Artkeys Prize with the purpose of promoting and enhancing the contemporary art. The competition includes the selection of 55 works, divided into five sections: Painting, Sculpture and Installation, Photographic art, Videoart and Performance; the realisation of an exhibition event, the publication of a catalogue, cash prizes, art gallery events, collaborations and artist residencies are up for grabs. The exhibition of the finalist works, the voting and the assignment of the rewards will take place in the “Parco Nazionale del Cilento, Vallo di Diano e degli Alburni” of Agropoli from 8 to 16 October 2021, Italy.
Section 2 – ADMISSION AND SELECTION STANDARDS
The competition is open to contemporary artists of all ages and nationalities, with no thematic restrictions. The basic selection standards will be exclusively quality, planning ability, research, originality and modernity of the proposed work. The sections are shown below:
1. Painting
All the works with no restrictions in subjects and techniques are allowed (including oil, tempera, acrylic, watercolour, ink, graphite, vinyl, etc.); collage works and/or the ones which include polymeric applications on any layer and modular works, as long as they are in line with the reference section, are accepted too. The maximum allowed dimension for each side of the work is 150 cm. The works must be already equipped with hangers or, if they have a frame, the overall size must not exceed the specified limits.
2. Sculpture and Installation
All the techniques, from the most traditional to the less conventional, and the use of all kind of materials are allowed (plaster, paper, metal, wood, polymers, glass, etc.). The works can be interactive and include mechanical movements, electronic parts, lights, sounds, videos, with no technique and expression limits. Maximum dimension of the proposed works: height 300 cm, width 300 cm, depth 300 cm, any overruns will be agreed upon during set up. On the other hand, there are no size limits for outdoor sculptures. The registration of the opera for the competition will be possible through photos, videos, rendering and graphic project in the pdf format.
3. Photographic art
Photography is allowed in all its technical variants, both digital and analog. The works must not exceed the dimensions of 120cm x 120cm, it is also allowed to submit photographic projects or series that have a maximum of 3 works inside them. The 3 photographs must have the same format (base / height ratio) and must not exceed 120×120 cm overall, including the spacing between the works. The works must be received already equipped with hangers and if provided with a frame, these must fall within the limits set. The projects must be presented in a single pdf, during the application phase. A high resolution scan is required for analog photos, in order to allow an appropriate opinion.
4. Videoart
All the works related to video language, with no restriction in technical choices, are allowed: animation (stop motion, 3D, 2D, etc.), documentaries, short films, experiments related to dance and/or theatre, music videos, etc. with a maximum duration of 30 minutes. For the final exhibition, just original works realized from 2017 will be accepted, reporting the link (Google Drive, Dropbox or others) without password or download terms. We-Transfer is not allowed. It is not possible to join the competition with works which belong to or on behalf of third parties, but the artistic quote is allowed, if it does not result in plagiarism.
5.Performance art
Performances by groups of artists, amateur companies, dance schools, cultural associations, musical groups, street artists, performers of various kinds (e.g. body painters, etc.), independent groups of people are allowed. The performances can be theatrical, musical and dance and in any case must have a performative artistic character using audiovisual material, scenography and objects that must be provided by the artists in case of selection.
The finalist performances that will exhibit on the opening night of the Artkeys Prize will be eligible for the awarding of prizes.. The works can be presented in video format or multimedia project in pdf by following the instructions on the registration form. It is not possible to nominate works by / for third parties, but artistic quotation is allowed, if this does not result in plagiarism. The competition is open to contemporary artists of all ages and nationalities, with no thematic restrictions. The basic selection standards will be exclusively quality, planning ability, research, originality and modernity of the proposed work. The sections are shown below:
Section 3 – TERMS AND PROCEDURES
The artists cooncerned can register by 23:59 on 12th June 2022 through the online mode on the registration page. (PROMO APPLICATIONS UNTIL 10th APRIL) Within the form it is possible to choose a section to participate in and upload the desired works. By submitting the works you will have access to the pre-selection that will decide the finalists who will compete for the prize money and the assignment of special prizes, which consist of artist residencies, solo exhibitions, collaborations with galleries and artistic realities in the Campania region. Applications are accepted from associations, collectives, groups or individual artists. The same candidate can decide to participate in an additional section by sending a new adhesion to the registration form.
Section 4 – REGISTRATION FEE
It is allowed to register with a maximum of three works per section.
The registration fee is set as follows:
| 1 WORK | 2 WORKS | 3 WORKS |
| PROMO 30€ |
PROMO 40€ |
PROMO 50€ |
The payment of the registration fee must be made in euros in the appropriate registration form, by Paypal, Credit or Debit Cards or Bank Transfer, without bank fees or commissions charged to the organization. The registration fee allows you to access the application and selection phase by the jury, and can be refunded only in case of cancellation of the event but not in case of postponement.
Section 5 – SELECTION PROCEDURES
The works will be evaluated by the jury considering the characteristics of contemporary art and different artistic fronts, the qualitative standards, the research, the technical ability and the originality. The jury will evaluate all the submitted materials, selecting 110 or more artists, who will be admitted to a second selection that will decide the finalists. The finalists will exhibit their works in the “Castello Angioino Aragonese” of Agropoli. The winners of the other prizes will be selected according to the specific modalities of each section. The results of the selections will be published on the website www.premioartkeys.it . The announcement of the overall winners and of all the prizes will take place at the inauguration of the exhibition on October 8th, 2022. The preparation and the organization of the exhibition will be assigned to the Vyolaa Collective and the Blow Up Cultural Association. The transport costs (round trip) and the eventual insurance policy of the works will be at the expense of the artist.
Section 6 – THE JURY AND THE SELECTION
The selection of works will be carried out byan artistic jury, which will decide the 55 finalists. After a previous selection of the applications, the selected artists will be asked to send the original works to be sent by 27 September 2022 at the Angioino-Aragonese Castle of Agropoli. The selected works will be 20 for the Painting Section, 10 for the Photography Section, 7 for the Videoart Section, 13 for the Sculpture and Installation Section and 5 for the Performance Art Section. The transportation costs for sending and getting back the selected works are a responsibility of the participants. Among the selected works, the jury will choose the winners of the different sections and the ones of the special awards. The decisions of the jury are final and cannot be appealed.
Section 7 – REWARDS
The endowment of the prizes will be 18.000 euros divided between the different sections of the competition, with cash prizes, artist residencies, art gallery events, festivals.
Distribution of prizes:
-Artkeys prize: it consists of a total amount of 8.000 euros, distributed among the different sections of the competition.
2.000 euros Painting
2.000 euros Sculpture and Installation
2.000 euros Performance art
1.000 euros Photographic Art
1.000 euros Videoart
Possibility of ex-aequo: in case of ex-aequo, the jury reserves the right to divide the prize among several artists.*taxes may be applied
-ArtKeys in Exhibition: collaborations and exhibitions offered by companies and institutions in the area. -ArtKeys in Residence: Municipality of Agropoli, Municipality of Pollica, Municipality of Laureana Cilento, Municipality of Capaccio-Paestum, Municipality of Cetara.
Section 8 – THE STEPS AND THE DEADLINES
June 12, 2022 is the last day for registration for the prize until 23.59pm Italian time. By 1 September there will be the announcement of the 55 finalists who will access the entire exhibition, via mail, official website and social channels. From 8 to 16 October 2022 the exhibition of finalist artists in Agropoli (SA) at the Castello Angioino Aragonese. The announcement of the winners will take place during the inauguration of the exhibition.
Section 9 – THE CATALOGUE
The catalog will be about 100 pages: a copy will be delivered free to each of the 65 finalist artists and jurors. It will be contained in the Artkeys Box, a wearable and silkscreened box.
Artkeys Box 04 will be illustrated by the winner of the contest “Disegna il Box Artkeys”. Furthermore, it will be possible to purchase the catalog during the days of the finalists’ exhibition.
Section 10 – RESPONSIBILITIES
In spite of ensuring the most care and custody of the received works, The Blow Up Cultural Association refuses any responsibility for theft, fire or any kind of damage of the works, which could occur during the event. Any insurance request must be submitted by the artist himself.
The awarded artists have the right to renounce the prize, without any form of reimbursement; in this case, the prize will be reassigned according to the charts established by the jury. Each artist holds the copyright of the images and of the submitted works and texts, but he gives to the Blow Up Cultural Association the rights of reproduction, exhibition, publication, translation and communication to the public, with all the modalities and without any compensation. The finalist and winning works will remain the property of the artist. The association, in the whole respect of the moral right of the author, will employ this right for all the institutional communication activities related to the competition; the candidate definitely authorizes this association and its direct delegates, in order to process the personal data transmitted in accordance with the law on privacy and the European Regulation (GDPR 2016/679), even for their inclusion in databases managed by the aforementioned persons and third parties who pursue the same purposes. The Blow Up Cultural Association reserves the right to make changes to the information published, at any time and without prior notice.
N.B. The Blow Up association reserves the faculty to modify the organizational strategy already adopted in the previous edition, adapting to the Ministerial provisions aimed at containing the risk of contagion Covid 19.
All changes will be made known.