By Flinster Austin
Published on 2024-01-17 15:37:14
The European Commission’s STARTS initiative aims to create collaborations between science, technology, and artistic practice, focusing on people and projects that address social, ecological, and economic challenges.
The launch of the African edition of the STARTS Prize, known as the STARTS Prize Africa, will recognize and reward regional best practices. The initiative aims to build on the community already established by the original STARTS Prize, which brings together artists, companies, scientists, researchers, and businesses. The inaugural edition of the STARTS Prize Africa will further enhance this movement.
The STARTS Prize Africa seeks initiatives that have a positive impact on society, humanitarian efforts, and promote a diverse and sustainable society. By harnessing the intersection of arts and technology, the initiative supports projects addressing pressing issues on the continent and facilitates digital transformation within the creative sector.
It recognizes initiatives that use creativity to drive positive change and emphasizes collaboration between individuals, collectives, and organizations from diverse sectors. The organizers are particularly interested in projects that address societal challenges and promote sustainable practices in Africa.
The prize money for the STARTS Prize Africa is €30,000, which will be distributed as follows: a Grand Prize of €15,000 and five awards of distinction of €3,000 each. The winner of the Grand Prize must commit to receiving the award in person at the award ceremony and presenting the work at the STARTS Prize Forum during the Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria.
In addition, if a submitted work is honored by the jury, the artist will be invited to present it at the Ars Electronica Festival 2024, as well as at events hosted by consortium members.
The eligibility criteria for the STARTS Prize Africa are inclusive, welcoming all forms of creative practice, citizens and residents of African countries, and various types of organizations. Furthermore, a submission must be a completed project or in the implementation stage, and projects should not be older than two years or must have shown significant updates or developments in the last two years.
Applicants are required to submit audio-visual materials of their work, descriptions of the artistic concept, and technical implementation details through the online submission platform. The deadline for submissions is March 1st.
Additionally, recommendations from international advisors will help identify relevant works and projects during the submission process.
The original call for the STARTS Prize Africa 2024 can be found on the official STARTS website.
