Closing date for entries: September 14, 2026
On June 7, 2026, the 12th International Awards for Art Criticism (IAAC 12) was officially launched at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, inviting submissions of art reviews in Chinese or English from around the globe. IAAC 12 is jointly run by the IAAC Organising Committee, the School of Philosophy at Fudan University, and the Shanghai Zhangyuan Art Museum (in preparation), with support from the Royal College of Art in London, the Edinburgh College of Art and the International Association of Art Critics (AICA).
During the launch ceremony, Ling Min, board member of the International Awards for Art Criticism (IAAC) Organising Committee reflected: ‘Over the past 12 years, IAAC has received more than 2,000 submissions in Chinese and English, covering over 70 countries worldwide. These international awards not only provide an important platform for writers to critique contemporary art exhibitions, but more significantly, they document our time through these exhibitions. Whilst exhibitions come and go, criticism endures—IAAC itself has become a repository for artistic and cultural phenomena. As it enters its 12th year, IAAC is about to turn a new page. Firstly, the Shanghai Zhangyuan Art Museum has joined as a co-organiser. Secondly, IAAC will collaborate with e-flux, aiming to invite past jurors and winners to collaborate on multiple research projects.
The IAAC 12 international jury comprises five members:
Fiona Bradley, Director, Fruitmarket, Edinburgh. / Ben Eastham, art critic and novelist based in London. He is the editor-in-chief of e-flux Criticism. / Richard J. Williams, Professor of Contemporary Visual Cultures at the University of Edinburgh. / Pu Wang, Associate Professor of Chinese Literature and Culture and Chair of the Department of German, Russian and Asian Languages and Literature, Brandeis University. / Zairong Xiang, Associate Professor of Comparative Literature and Director of Arts at Duke Kunshan University.
The twelfth edition is open to candidates from anywhere in the world writing in Chinese or English about any contemporary art exhibition held anywhere in the world or on-line between September 1, 2025 and 31 August 2026. Candidates are invited to write a review of 1,500 English words or 2,500 Chinese characters on any exhibition of contemporary art. The submissions shall not previously have been published anywhere else.
The First Prize will consist of a cash award of 10,000 Euros (pre-tax) or the RMB equivalent of this amount (currently, around 80,000 RMB). There will be three Second Prizes, each amounting to 3,500 Euro (pre-tax) or the RMB equivalent of around 30,000 RMB. The level of the Awards is pegged to a fixed amount in Euro, but international Award winners may choose to be paid either in Euro or in RMB at the official exchange rate on the day that the payment is effected.
The Organising Committee of the International Awards for Art Criticism aims to support independent critical coverage of contemporary art, away from the immediate pressures of the market, media and private patronage. The Awards are to stimulate good writing, critical thinking and dialogue and research in China, the UK and wider afield.The objectivity of the selection process is underpinned, both by the recognised professionalism of the Chinese and English-speaking jury members and by the strict anonymity of the judging process.
Enquiries should be addressed, as follows:
Chinese-language: School of Philosophy, Fudan University. Email: philo.fudan@gmail.com. / English-language: School of Art and Humanities, Royal College of Art. Email: iaac@rca.ac.uk.
