Dundee Contemporary Arts is in the running for £100,000 of funding to promote female artists outside London.
The city’s art centre has been shortlisted for the prestigious prize set up by the Freelands Foundation.
The foundation, formed in 2015 by Elisabeth Murdoch, aims to raise the profile of mid-career female artists and support the work of visual arts organisations outside of the capital city by giving them public recognition they have not yet achieved, but “rightly deserve”.
Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA) is up against five other renowned UK art institutions – the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, Mostyn in Llandudno, Wales, Nottingham Contemporary Arts, the Hepworth Wakefield and theTurner Contemporary in Margate.
The inaugural prize was won last year by the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh alongside artist Jacqueline Donachie, whose exhibit will go on display in November.
Beth Bate, DCA director, said being shortlisted for the award was very exciting for the city.
She said: “We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the Freelands Foundation award.
“The award gives mid-career female artists a unique opportunity to work on a significant exhibition and we’re very excited about the possibility of delivering this project at DCA.
“We work with artists at all stages of their careers and receiving this award would enable us to create a trans-formative exhibition for both the selected artist and for audiences in Dundee.
“The other shortlisted organisations from across the UK are highly respected peers and we are pleased to be in such esteemed company.”
Elisabeth Murdoch, founder of the Freelands Foundation, said: “The Freelands Award reflects the core values of the Foundation. It was conceived to not only readdress gender imbalance in the arts but also support and nurture unique partnerships between artists, galleries, curators and education programmes.
“The Foundation encourages institutions and individuals to collaborate on an ongoing basis, creating ecosystems that live on in communities way beyond any initial activity. We were overwhelmed by the positive response received during the inaugural award.
“The Foundation and I are eagerly anticipating the opening of Jacqueline’s solo exhibition at The Fruitmarket Gallery this November, as well as working closely with the six organisations shortlisted for 2017’s Award.”
The total award is valued at £100,000 of which £25,000 will go directly to the chosen artist, with the winner being announced in the autumn.
