A Platform for Cultural Expression
The “Where Culture Lives” (WCL) project has officially announced the launch of its Artist Prize, an exciting open call designed to engage artists and creatives throughout the Dutch Caribbean. This initiative encourages participants from Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Maarten to submit original works that visually or conceptually represent their understanding of where and how culture manifests in their daily lives and communities. The prize aims to give artists a distinct voice to articulate, in their own artistic language, the essence of their island’s culture, moving beyond traditional institutional settings to explore its presence in everyday spaces, traditions, and narratives.
Diverse Artistic Voices Celebrated
Artists across a wide spectrum of disciplines are invited to participate. Whether one’s medium is visual arts, music, performance, dance, literature, poetry, film, culinary arts, photography, or digital media, the WCL Artist Prize welcomes all forms of creative expression. The submitted works can explore various themes, including the connection between past and present, the resilience and struggles of the community, or the sense of belonging and identity. A key criterion is that the artwork should resonate with and be recognizable to the local community. This approach ensures that the prize not only celebrates individual artistic talent but also fosters a deeper appreciation and connection to cultural heritage within each island.
Bridging Research and Community Engagement
The WCL Artist Prize operates as a parallel knowledge stream to the broader “Where Culture Lives” research project, which is commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. While the research focuses on cultural mapping and policy development, the artist prize aims to bridge the gap between academic findings and lived community experiences. By combining research, dialogue, and artistic expression, the project seeks to create a richer, multi-layered understanding of cultural life in the Dutch Caribbean. This initiative is managed by the St. Maarten-based consultancy Lemonade B.V., with a project team that includes Jorien Wuite, Ludmila Duncan, Gregory Richardson, and Elton Villareal.
Prizes and Submission Details
A total of $500, $250, and $125 will be awarded as first, second, and third prizes, respectively, to artists on each participating island. Winners will be recognized during the WCL Validation Sessions scheduled to take place across the islands in the latter half of April 2026. The submission period is open from February 23, 2026, and closes on March 25, 2026. Artists are required to submit their work via email to whereculturelivesproject@gmail.com, including their name, island, title of the work, type of art, and a brief statement explaining how the piece reflects “where culture lives” on their island. Submissions can be in the form of files or downloadable links (WeTransfer and Google Drive are accepted), and artists must grant permission for their work to be used in project outputs. Judging commences on March 26, 2026.