Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Shamsa bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), have announced the opening of applications for the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award 2025, with submissions welcome until January 31, 2025.

Produced annually since 2013, in collaboration with the NYUAD Art Gallery, the thirteenth edition of The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award serves as a launch pad for artists across the Emirates, encouraging new artwork and offering winners insight into professional life as an artist, from commission to exhibition.

The program is open to those based in the UAE who are current students or who have graduated in the last five years. Entrants are asked to propose a work of public art. They can choose any media in which to work including sculpture, photography, painting, film, illustration, land art and multimedia.

The winning artist or team will be awarded USD 10,000 to complete their installation. Their artwork will be launched at Abu Dhabi Art in November 2025 and then exhibited at New York University Abu Dhabi and Um El Emarat Park, Abu Dhabi.

The winners of this year’s edition of The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award are Sara Farha and Khaled Shalkha under the mentorship of Assistant Professor at the College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) at the American University of Sharjah (AUS), Christianna Bonin. Their winning project, titled Datecrete Bee Hotel, seamlessly integrates innovative material science with ecological awareness. Its uniqueness lies in the use of a new building material called 'Datecrete’, made from date pits and free of concrete or resin, which the artists are currently patenting.

Internationally acclaimed artists Christo and his wife and artistic partner Jeanne-Claude had a relationship with the UAE spanning four decades. It was Christo’s desire to support emerging artists in the UAE that resulted in the creation of an award in his name in 2012. Christo and Jeanne-Claude created highly celebrated works of art around the world, changing the concept of “public art” by creating temporary works that were transitory by design. Jeanne-Claude passed away in November 2009, and Christo died in 2020.

To apply, all entrants need to complete an application form, which includes a proposed budget and schedule.