Ghanaian and African artists living and working in Ghana, The ellipse art projects, a endowment fund established in 2020 by Ellipse Projects, is calling for submissions for the ellipse prize 2025.
Deadline : March 3, 2025.
Presentation
The ellipse prize is an itinerant visual artcompetition for emerging artists from a different territory each edition.The aim of this initiative is to raise collective awareness through the messages conveyed by the artists, in line with the theme of each year.
After Benin in 2024, the ellipse prize is dedicated to the young artistic creation of Ghana in 2025.
By promoting visibility and mobility, ellipse art projects is committed to supporting the artistic practice of each finalist, notably through a collective exhibition locally. The endowment fund also ensures that the winner gains access to professional networks, offering them, among other opportunities, an exhibition in France in 2025.
Candidates Eligibility
This fifth edition is open to all artists of Ghanaian nationality as well as African artists residing in Ghana, aged between 18 and 40 by the application deadline of March 3, 2025.
Applicants must practice a visual arts discipline such as painting, sculpture, drawing, design, digital art, photography and textile art.
Artists’collectives whose members meet the eligibility criteria are allowed to participate by completing a unique application.
Eligible artists must not be represented (under contract) by a professional gallery and/or have participated in an international event such as fair, biennale.
Eligibility of candidates who have already exhibited is at the discretion of the organiser, depending on the need of professional support to which the ellipse prize can respond.
Each candidate can submit only one project whose submission implies full acceptance of the present rules.
To apply, candidates must fill out the application form on the ellipse art projects website made up of three parts.
Application File
Administrative part
- Cv
- Biography
- Proof of residency as an invoice on whichappear candidate’s first, last name and address
- Recto-verso photocopy of ID or valid passport
Portfolio
- At least five artworks
- High definition visuals
- A data sheet including title, date of creation,
- Dimensions and technique
- Some explanatory notes
Exhibition Project
- Inspired by the theme “Butterfly Effect”
- A general explanation of the project
- A provisional list of planned works, alreadymade and never exhibited and/or to beproduced, with a visual description and approximated dimensions
The different files constituting the candidacy are mandatory and must be submitted on the ellipse art projects website until March 3, 2025 included.
Applications sent by e-mail will not be processed.
The prize organisers reserve the right to reject without appeal any entry that is late, incomplete or does not comply with the rules.
Selection of the Finalists
Once the applications received, a shortlist often artists is done by the organiser according to eligibility, clarity of the artistic approach and coherence with the theme.
Mid-March, preselected artists are contacted for a five minutes individual interview during a video conference with the jury in order to elect the five finalists.
During this meeting, candidates are invited to present their practice and their exhibition project.
To conduct these selections, each member of the jury has one voice. Finalists are selected by a majority vote.
Commitee composition is published before the application deadline and can be changed incase of force majeure.
Deliberations are strictly confidential and can’t be appealed.
A contract is established between the finalists and ellipse art projects upon their nomination. The latter is subjected to the French law.
Finalists’endowment
360 communication campaign
- press releases diffusion by a press agency
- social medias content production
- flyers and catalogs print
- interviews production
Collective exhibition
- organised in Accra, mid-April, 2025
- three artworks already produced per artist
Selection of the Winner
Folowing the collective exhibition and interviews production, a second jury meeting is organised in order to elect the winner.
Election is based on the artworks showcased in Accra, interviews and exhibition project to be presented in France.
Jury is sovereign and is not required to justify its decisions.
Announcement is planned in May after the group exhibition.
A contract is established between the winner and ellipse art projects upon their nomination.The latter is subjected to the French law.
Winner’s Endowment
360 communication campaign
- press releases diffusion by a press agency
- social medias content production
- flyers and catalogs print
- interviews production
Professional support
- production grant of up to €5,000 subject to submission of receipts, including costs for printing and framing if needed
- production monitoring
Solo show
- organised in Paris, mid-October, 2025
- a one week stay in Paris including visa, insurance, round trip economy class ticket accommodation and per diem of €35 per day
- artworks round trip transportation, installing and insurance costs.
Timetable
- Call for applications – January 6 until March 3
- First jury meeting and finalists’ announcement- Mid-March
- Collective exhibition – mid-April
- Second jury meeting and winner’sannouncement – May
- Exhibition in Paris – October 23-26
These dates can be changed depending on the measures announced by the French and Ghanaian governments.
To Apply
To apply, the candidates must fill in the dedicated form by clicking on APPLY on the website www.ellipseartprojects.org.
Before, artists are invited to refer to the rules available on the website www.ellipseartprojects.org during the application period and the documents below to complete the various sections of the application form, including a portfolio and an exhibition proposal. The proposal, inspired by the theme « Butterfly Effect », must include a general explanation of the project and a preliminary list of the works planned for display during the solo show in Paris for the winner.
La Rédaction.
