OPEN CALL
IKOB – Feminist Art Prize 2025

Click here to view and download the PDF version of open call.

IKOB – Museum of Contemporary Art has awarded an artist prize every three years since the institution’s beginnings. 2019 was the first time the award was given an explicitly feminist focus. With the 2025 edition of the Feminist Art Prize, we are proud to look back on the past two editions but would also be remiss not to note that the global situation regarding gender-based discrimination has only worsened.

We are facing a rampant wave of political revanchism and right-wing populism worldwide, forcing us to question the widespread assumption of linear and inevitable progress. A feminist art prize is therefore more important than ever. And there is no reason to hang our heads in defeat, because feminist art practices are resilient and future oriented. They offer alternatives and a safe haven for alternative way of living. We want to promote and strengthen these positions in contemporary art - especially those that confront us with the complexities of the body, identity and society and are not satisfied with simple answers. Utopia, eroticism, community, energy, resilience: together we want to embark on a journey in search of a better future.

IKOB invites artists to participate in the call for entries for the IKOB – Feminist Art Prize 2025. Eligible artists must be based in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, or Germany. The IKOB team will invite a group of finalists to take part in the prize exhibition after evaluating the applications. Artists will have the opportunity to show existing work(s) and will be featured in an accompanying publication. IKOB will pay each participating artist a fee of 500€ excl. VAT.

The prize jury will meet at IKOB ahead of the exhibition opening on 13^th April, 2025 and select three winners, awarding a first, second and third prize endowed with €3000, €2000 and €1500 respectively. The third prize is awarded to an artist in East Belgium. The jury consists of: Caitlin Hennen (independent art consultant and curator), Jemima Kulumba (curator and founder of the “Biennale of Women in Art”, Brussels), Noor Mertens (director, Bochum Art Museum), Stilbé Schroeder (curator, casino luxembourg and of the Luxembourg Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2026) and Marnie Slater (artist and winner of the IKOB – Feminist Art Prize 2022).

To apply, send us the following documents (in English, German or French) as one single PDF file (max. 10 MB – in the email attachment, no download links please) to the email address artprize@ikob.be:

 Please note that we cannot accept any applications that reach us after the deadline.

 If you have any questions, please write to us at artprize@ikob.be.