Dezi Art Prize 2026: Unrestricted Grants for Visual Artists

Overview

The Dezi Art Prize 2026 is an international, juried open call providing unrestricted funding and platform visibility to emerging and early-career visual artists worldwide. Two grand prize winners each receive $1,000 unrestricted cash grants, a dedicated profile, and career mentorship. Ten finalists gain global digital promotion. The prize requires no formal degree, gallery representation, or exhibition history.

Key dates

• Applications open: July 15, 2026
• Early bird deadline: August 1, 2026 ($20 fee)
• Final deadline: September 10, 2026
• Jury review: September 2026
• Winners announced: October 10, 2026
• Career consultations delivered: Within 60 days of announcement

Eligibility

• Open globally to artists 18 or older
• Emerging, early-career, recent BFA/MFA/diploma graduates, and self-taught artists welcome
• No degree, gallery representation, or prior exhibition history required
• One entry per artist per cycle
• Eligible mediums: Painting & Drawing, Sculpture, Filmmaking, Photography, Design, UI/UX Design, 2D/3D Animation, Fashion, Fiber & Material Arts

Application requirements

• Upload up to 5 images or video links with title, medium, year, and short description for each
• Provide a short artist statement with bio
• Write a pitch for what you would do with the grant
• Review and submit through the web portal

Fees

• Standard entry fee: $30 USD
• Early bird discount: $20 USD if submitted by August 1, 2026
• Student discounts and hardship waivers available on request via email ([email protected]); evaluated case-by-case

Awards & recognition

• 2 winners: $1,000 unrestricted cash grant each, dedicated profile, featured announcement post, 1:1 career audit with Dezi team
• Top 3 finalists: Free 1:1 career consultation using Dezi's career navigation framework
• 10 finalists: Named on site, featured on Instagram, included in press announcement

Judging criteria

Submissions are scored on artistic merit by an independent jury including Dr. Katerina Valdivia Bruch, Anahita Ghazvinizadeh, Christopher Sullivan, Yukti V. Agarwal, and Jessy Koeiman. Each entry is evaluated on four equally weighted criteria: quality of work (craft, execution, command of medium), originality and point of view (distinct voice and fresh perspective), artist statement clarity, and pitch strength.

Rights & reciprocity

Artists retain 100% full copyright ownership. Dezi receives limited, non-exclusive license to reproduce imagery for operating and promoting the prize. Winners are asked to credit the Dezi Art Prize on new work created with the grant and share finished projects within one year for potential inclusion in future Dezi exhibitions.