SPIER CONTEMPORARY 2010

Exhibition to showcase SA artists’ work in diverse media from a broad range of cultural contexts.

The Africa Centre is proud to announce the launch of the Spier Contemporary 2010. Named after its primary sponsor, the Spier Contemporary 2010 - is the largest art competition and exhibition in South Africa. The inaugural Spier Contemporary 2007 drew over 2,500 entries from artists across the country. From this rich pool of entries an exhibition of 100 artists was created who received over R1,000,000 in prizes. In total, 25,000 people were able to experience this exhibition in Cape Town and Johannesburg and engage with its diverse content, which ranged from traditional media such as painting and sculpture to performance art and new media installations.

The Spier Contemporary 2010 exhibition will provide an extraordinary opportunity to showcase South African artist’s work in diverse media and from a broad range of cultural contexts. Artists are urged to begin thinking about how they would like to reflect their experiences, lives, hopes and fears through new work, which can be submitted to the Spier Contemporary 2010. It is through these submissions and the work selected for the exhibition that we hope new voices and the languages to speak them will emerge, which can help us read and understand who and what we are as a nation.

The exhibition is open to any person living in South Africa over the age of 21. Artists may submit artworks or a proposal for an artwork (up to a maximum of five artworks/proposals per person), which can be delivered to one of the selection centres located throughout the country, posted to the Africa Centre office or submitted online at www.spiercontemporary.co.za

Any original artwork, in any media, which has not been previously exhibited may be entered. There are no restrictions other than the artworks must not physically endanger anyone.

The panel will be constituted to provide all artists a sympathetic hearing, bearing in mind the diversity of work that the exhibition seeks to encourage, ranging in mode from traditional to new media, including sound and performance crossovers.

Judging - The judging panel will be independent of the selection team and comprised of three judges. Up to 100 artists will be selected for the exhibition. Each selected artist or collective of artists will receive a (cash) fee of R4,000. Five to seven award winners will receive funding towards career development opportunities worth up to R800,000 in total.

The exhibition will open in March 2010 in Cape Town and will then travel to Johannesburg and Durban.

Artworks and proposals have to be received by October 30, 2009.

Further information on the Spier Contemporary 2010 from the Africa Centre on 021 442 0468, fax 021 422 0446, email: spiercontemporary@africacentre.net or visit www.spiercontemporary.co.za