Cultural Institute of Radical Contemporary Arts Takes Over Piccadilly Circus With Manifesto of Hope

The Cultural Institute of Radical Contemporary Arts (CIRCA) have launched the third edition of the CIRCA Prize, which will see the work of 30 international artists take over Piccadilly Circus billboards responding to the brief 'manifesto on hope'.

'Hope is not an empty affirmation or a luxury for the privileged but the animating force of today's struggles for a better world', the platform elaborates in its press release, which - before submissions closed on 20 July - acted as an open call for artists (performers, poets, activists, architects, gamers and filmmakers included) to submit their work in the hopes of being one of the 30 selected to feature in the month-long show. Participation in the award offers submitters the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of previous CIRCA commissioned artists, an impressive feat when you realise the likes of Patti Smith, Vivienne Westwood, Yoko Ono, Marina Abramović, David Hockney and Ai Weiwei have all shown work with CIRCA, the latter of whom has even designed the trophy that will be bestowed upon the lucky winner this October.

'The CIRCA PRIZE has established itself as a springboard for rising talent, and I am honoured to join the jury alongside so many incredible CIRCA artists,' said British curator Norman Rosenthal. 'I look forward to seeing what the future has to offer. Let hope take over the world.' Joining Rosenthal on the judging panel is British artist Sir Frank Bowling, last year's winner Douglas Gordon, German visual artist Anne Imhof, Rick Owens muse Michèle Lamy, Iranian visual artist Shirin Neshat, esteemed curator and critic Hans Ulrich Obrist, CIRCA artistic director and founder Josef O'Connor, art director Olu Odukoya and Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot. Successful applicants will be mostly judged on how their work responds to this year's theme, dubbed by CIRCA as their '20:23 manifesto': Hope: The Art of Reading What Is Not Yet Written.

Last year, Turner Prize-winning Scottish artist Douglas Gordon took home the prestigious cash prize for impressing the jury panel with his extended ten-minute presentation of work titled if when why what (2018–22), which examined Soho's relationship with the erotic entertainment industry by focusing on the neighbourhood's iconic neon signage.

All of the 30 exhibiting artists will have their work featured on the iconic Piccadilly Lights and across the CIRCA global platform of digital screens at 20:23 GMT throughout September before the final winning artist will be announced the following month, when they will receive £30,000 to support their future practice alongside the aforementioned newly designed trophy by Ai Weiwei, who first launched the CIRCA free public art programme in October 2020. In addition, an online public vote will determine who goes home with an added £10,000 cash prize. Both winners will be announced at an award ceremony held during Frieze Week in London's Piccadilly Circus on 12 October.

Calling out this country's dire support of the arts, CIRCA founder Josef O'Connor noted:

'With public art spaces closing, arts education being slashed, and the cost of living crisis making a career in the arts seem impossible, the CIRCA PRIZE sets out to invest in the future of art and culture. None of this would be possible without the generosity of our artists and their unwavering support of the #CIRCAECONOMY – this prize is with thanks to them and everyone who purchased a print this past year.'