Jindřich Chalupecký Award 2026

October 6, 2025 - start of the open call 
November 5, 2025 – applications deadline 
February 2026 – public announcement of the JChA Laureates

The Jindřich Chalupecký Award is awarded for outstanding artistic creation in the field of visual arts. It is intended for the emerging generation of artists whose work has the potential to stand out over the long term in both the Czech and international art scenes, and whose work embodies a unique position in terms of content and form. The award is open to artists and artist groups working in any media, while also recognizing cross-disciplinary intersections and other current trends in contemporary art.

The JChA is intended for artists living or working in the Czech Republic; however, neither Czech citizenship nor formal art education are prerequisites. Beginning in 2024, the age limit of 35 has been abolished.

The award is still intended for emerging artists and provides them with professional support in terms of curation, production, and funding for the further development and exposure of their work; however, the rules will no longer regard age as a limitation to this phase of an artist’s career. The award is now open for applications from, for example, collectives of artists of varying ages, artists who have interrupted their professional careers, artists who began their careers later in life, and so forth.

From 2024 onward, an international jury will select three artists as laureates of the award. Participation in the award includes the opportunity to exhibit a new work in one of the Czech Republic’s leading art institutions. The laureates receive year-round financial, curatorial, and production support, including international networking and promotion of their work. 

Artist duos and groups may apply together (by creating one joint portfolio for the application process). In such cases, the Jindřich Chalupecký Society cannot guarantee different financial conditions for participation than those stipulated for individuals. JCHS will seek a partial increase in financial support in such cases, however, no claim can be made by the artist.

The Jindřich Chalupecký Award is open call for entries to which the artists apply themselves. The application process takes place annually in the autumn months online through the award.sjch.cz platform. Applications will be accepted from 6 October to 5 November 2025, 23:59 (CET+1). Applications submitted after this date cannot be accepted

The terms and conditions of the Jindřich Chalupecký Award are continually evolving in line with the most current needs of the art world and in response to the prevailing social climate.

The Jindřich Chalupecký Award is decided upon by an independent jury of experts in the visual arts, appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Jindřich Chalupecký Society.

The jury is composed of six members, including experts form Czech Republic as well as foreign experts, usually in a ratio of 3:3. Jurors are limited to a three-year term. The Jindřich Chalupecký Society has no right to influence the jury's decision. The selection of the Jindřich Chalupecký Award laureates is decided by the jury members by consensus, based on intensive group discussions and a thorough selection process.

In addition to selecting the laureates, the jury will provide written feedback to 18 other applicants whose work was discussed in the final part of the meeting.

Your submitted portfolios will be evaluated by an international jury. Members of the jury for the 37. Jindrich Chalupecky Award edition are: Denisa Bytelová, theorist and curator, Anna Gritz, director of Haus am Waldsee in Berlin, Hana Janečková, theorist and curator, teacher at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, Valentinas Klimašauskas, independent curator and writer, director of the Centre for Contemporary Art in Vilnius, Marika Kupková, curator, theorist and educator, and Maria Lind, director of the Kin Museum of Contemporary Art.

• budget for the creation of a new work or project in the amount of CZK 60,000
• artist fee
• year-round stipend support
• professional cooperation on architectural and technical solution of the exhibition project professional cooperation on the adjustment and exhibition of the work in one of the partner institutions (for 2026 PLATO Ostrava, 2027 Moravian Gallery in Brno, 2028 National Gallery Prague)
• year-round curatorial and production cooperation
• help with securing of studio space
• promotion of the artist's work in both specialized and general media
• professional consultations with the CJCH international jury
• international networking among the Jindřich Chalupecký Society's network of foreign partner institutions and contacts
• networking or research trip abroad in cooperation with the network of European Czech Centres