On Friday April 26, the Aarhus Art Prize 2024 will be awarded to talented artists who make a special contribution to the art scene in Aarhus. The prizes – the Talent Prize and the Solo Prize – are awarded by Kunsthal Aarhus, Godsbanen, ARoS, Aarhus Billedkunstcenter, and Jyllands-Posten with support from the Salling Foundations.

This year’s award show takes place at Jyllands-Posten's headquarter at the Port of Aarhus. After the event, an exhibition by last year's winner of the Solo Award, Mads Borre, will open in the foyer of Jyllands-Posten.

An award of acknowledgment

The Aarhus Art Prize has been awarded since 2018 by Kunsthal Aarhus, ARoS, and Godsbanen. The award aims at supporting artistic growth, retain artistic talent, and strengthen Aarhus as a vibrant cultural city.

Since 2023, both the Talent Prize and the Solo Prize have been awarded and is now also supported by Aarhus Billedkunstcenter and Jyllands-Posten.

The Talent Prize is awarded to a graduating student from the Jutland Art Academy whose graduation project has remarkably distinguished itself. The awarded project will be exhibited at Kunsthal Aarhus and the talent is awarded a grant of DKK 30,000.

The Solo Prize is awarded to a graduate from one of the Danish art academies (or a similar institution) who, within five years after graduation, has made a special impression on Aarhus. The award consists of a grant of DKK 30,000 together with a year’s collaboration with the institutions involved. The collaboration is to be organized between the winner and the institutions after the award show.

The Aarhus Art Prize 2024 jury is represented by:

Peter Ole Pedersen, Head of Exhibitions at Kunsthal Aarhus
Kirstine Højmose, Director of Aarhus Visual Arts Center
Ellen Drude Skeel Langvold, Inspector at ARoS
Marianne Grymer Bargeman, Director at Godsbanen
Tina Bryld, Journalist, Jyllands-Posten
Ida Schyum, Exhibition Manager, JP/Politikens Hus
Karin Salling, Vice Chairman of the Board at Købmand Herman Sallings Foundation

Winner of the Solo Prize 2023

Artist Mads Borre is the winner of Aarhus Art Prize, Solo Prize 2023. His exhibition A Thousand Lost Handkerchiefs opens in the foyer of Jyllands-Posten and will be on view until September 5.

The lost handkerchiefs in the exhibition title refer to Victorian handkerchiefs that were used as secret signals between gays and lesbians. They’re also symbols of loss and tears wiped from the cheek, and of the human losses that took place in the context of HIV and AIDS.

By meticulously etching motifs in white silk velvet, Mads Borre explores relationships found in romantic encounters across time, while also examining the role of textiles during the AIDS crisis, with reference to the AIDS quilts that relatives made - and still are making - to commemorate the victims of AIDS.

Mads Borres is doing an artist talk at Kunsthal Aarhus, a performance at ARoS on May 22, and an exhibition and performance at Politikens Forhal from September 13 to October 31.

Join the award show and exhibition opening

The award show and exhibition opening takes place on Friday, April 26, and is open to all. Please register your attendance via the link here.

Aarhus Art Prize is genorously supported by the Salling Foundations.