CICA Vancouver is excited to announce the launch of the CICA Vancouver X Jelina Couture International Art Awards, an unparalleled opportunity for artists worldwide to gain international recognition. Since 2021, CICA has dedicated itself to creating a platform that fosters global artistic exchange, celebrating diverse voices, and championing emerging talent. This year, we aim to provide emerging and mid-career artists the exposure and opportunities they deserve on an international stage.
Why Apply?
At CICA Vancouver, we understand the importance of connecting artists with global audiences and providing equal opportunities to artists at all stages. Our goal is to shine a spotlight on emerging and mid-career artists and offer them the recognition and resources needed to take their careers to the next level.
Awards and International Recognition
All longlisted artists will be featured in a highly publicized exhibition at CICA Vancouver, drawing attention from curators, collectors, and art institutions worldwide. In addition, a virtual exhibition will allow a global audience to engage with your work, including the chance for public voting. The awarded artists will receive additional opportunities for further international exposure through residency and exhibition programs with CICA Vancouver in 2025-2026.
Monetary Awards:
- Beacon Award: $5,000 CAD
- Rising Star Award: $3,000 CAD
- People’s Choice Award: $1,000 CAD
Award winners will not only receive financial support, be featured in a group exhibition at CICA Vancouver, will also be invited to participate in CICA Vancouver’s Residency Program in 2026 and be featured in future exhibitions.
Jury Committee
A distinguished panel of curators, museum directors, and art professionals from around the world will judge the submissions. Their expertise and global perspectives ensure a fair and comprehensive evaluation of each artist’s potential. The Jury will focus on artistic merit, innovation, and recognizing those who demonstrate unique voices and promising futures.
Jurors
Alex Gartenfeld is the Irma & Norman Braman Artistic Director at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, where he oversees institutional and programmatic growth, and leads the development of the museum’s permanent collection. During his tenure ICA Miami has been one of the fastest growing contemporary and post-war collections in the world, adding over 1,000 works in just the last five years. Major ICA Miami exhibitions curated by Gartenfeld have included solo presentations for Terry Adkins, Chakaia Booker, Larry Bell, Judy Chicago, Jadé Fadojutimi, Sasha Gordon, Hugh Hayden, Donald Judd, Michel Majerus, Paulo Nazareth, Senga Nengudi, Chris Ofili, Sterling Ruby, Ettore Sottsass, and Andra Ursuta, among many others.
Xu, Ning is a senior media professional, and the Chief Planner of the Culture & Arts Department of Harper’s BAZAAR. Xu Ning joined Harper’s BAZAAR China in 2006, where he led the creation of Harper’s BAZAAR ART, the world’s first fashion-art magazine, becoming the first art media brand in Harper’s BAZAAR’s 150-year history and one of the most widely circulated art magazines globally. Xu played a crucial role in popularizing contemporary Chinese art and pioneering the integration of art with fashion and commerce. In 2015, Xu Ning transitioned into the cultural IP and industry operation field, developing significant projects like the futuristic art museum “U2 by UCCA,” global music culture media “Rolling Stone China,” the art exhibition IP “LOVELOVELOVE,” and the cross-boundary BAZAAR 150th Anniversary Art & Fashion Exhibition. In 2023, Xu contributed to the establishment of Harper’s BAZAAR’s newly formed Culture & Arts Department, where he serves as the Chief Planner.
Sho Sho Esquiro (Kaska Dene/Scottish/Cree) is an interdisciplinary artist & curator, she combines the inspiration of traditional Indigenous textiles and modern urban culture to create art in the medium of fashion. ShoSho has won numerous awards, including 1st Place Clothing Competition, Santa Fe Indian Market, 2013; Best of Division Bead Work, 22nd Annual Eiteljorg Indian Market and Festival, 2014; and 1st place at the Autry Museum in L.A. 2015; 1st place in Textiles at the Heard Museum in Phoenix. She has also represented Canada twice in Paris, France with fashion shows on the Eiffel Tower in 2014 and 2019. Her work is in the collection of the Yukon Arts Centre and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, and has been featured in Native Fashion Now!, a national traveling exhibition organized by the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts.
Viahsta Yuan is the Chief Curator of CICA Vancouver. She earned her Master’s degree in Arts and Cultural Management from Université de Montréal and has been actively engaged in curation and gallery management since 2011. Her curatorial practice encompasses a broad range of subjects, including Asian Contemporary Art, Contemporary Painting, and Digital Art. Exhibitions she has curated include “James Turrell – Light, Space, and the Art of Perception”, “Space Travelers: Hajime Sorayama”, “Jesse Mockrin – Succession”, “James Jean – Meadowlark” etc. Projects she has participated in include Nian Nian by Ai Weiwei, and the exhibition Modern Echo, featuring works by Amedeo Modigliani and Bernard Buffet. In 2021, she co-founded the CICA Vancouver Centre of International Contemporary Art, aiming to bring diverse international voices into the city.
Jury Process
- Longlisted Artists: Will be part of a 4-week group exhibition at CICA Vancouver, providing both local and international visibility.
- The exhibition will be held physically at CICA Vancouver and digitally, accessible to a global audience. Public voting will be factored into the People’s Choice Award.
- Shortlisting and Awards: The Jury will select the shortlist during the exhibition, taking public feedback into consideration. Final award announcements will be made one week before the exhibition closes.
Eligibility
All artists who – have specialized training in the artistic field (not necessarily in academic institutions); or recognized as a professionals by his or her peers (artists working in the same artistic tradition); or have a history of public presentation or publication – are eligible to apply.
Submission Guidelines
- Please submit your application here.
- Please upload a single PDF containing both your Bio (maximum 400 words) and Artist Statement (maximum 400 words).
- Submit your Artist Portfolio as a PDF, including up to 5 images, limited to a total of 3 pages.
- Please upload three artworks for submission to this award. We accept all mediums of art including video and installation.
- Please note that there is a $10 application fee to submit your work.
- Longlist Selection: Artists selected for the longlist will be invited to exhibit at CICA Vancouver.
- Exhibition Logistics: Longlisted artists are responsible for the transportation of their works, and the works must be ready to hang. CICA Vancouver will manage installation, security, and insurance for the duration of the exhibition.
- Feedback and Final Judging: The Jury Panel will provide feedback to shortlisted artists, with award winners announced toward the end of the exhibition.
Terms and Conditions
- Only artists selected for the longlist will be invited to exhibit at CICA Vancouver.
- The exhibition will be composed of 2 parts based on theme, medium, logistics and artwork availability. Exhibition Part I runs from November 22 – December 21, 2024; Exhibition Part II runs from January 9 – February 1, 2025.
- All submitted works must be finished and ready to hang. If the work does not meet the requirements, it will be returned to the sender at the sender’s expense.
- The loan period of the work will be two weeks prior to the installation start date of the exhibition, and 4 weeks after the exhibition end date to allow enough time for shipping arrangements. CICA Vancouver will cover insurance through ought the loan period, including in-transit insurance on condition that the artwork is professionally packaged, protected and with handling instructions sent to us.
- You can consign your exhibiting work with CICA Vancouver, with a portion of the income going to CICA Vancouver as a commission to support our operation and programs.
- At the end of the exhibition, unsold works will be returned at the owners’ expense within 6 weeks of time. Sold works will be sent to the buyers at the buyer’s expense.
- CICA does not accept artwork that is not original, is a copy, or is not created by the artist submitting the work. All submissions must be the artist’s own, original creations.
Important Dates
Submission Deadline for Expression of Interest for the Second Round: 11:59 PM on Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Notification of Selected Artists: On or before 11:59 PM on Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Gallery must receive the selected works by 5:00 pm on December 21, 2024.
About Jelina Couture
Jelina Couture was founded in Vancouver in 2019 by designer Ms Jenny Zhang and her partner Miss Selina Jin, The golden initial letter “J” is not only the brand logo, but also represents that it is a real Haute Couture brand from Vancouver. It selects the most designed high-quality natural fabrics, and strives to pursue the most unique design and excellence in detail presentation, hoping to provide the most perfect design for every customer who loves beauty.
This is your opportunity to share your vision with the world and take a significant step toward furthering your artistic career. We look forward to receiving your submissions and discovering the next wave of exceptional talent.
Proudly supported by
CICA Vancouver X Jelina Couture 2025 International Art Award Winners:
Cara Guri – winner of the Beacon Award
Cara Guri’s painting practice explores identity, portraiture, and the tension between what is revealed and concealed. Drawing from historical Western art, she reinterprets symbols to reflect contemporary realities. Her Paper Dolls series deconstructs and reimagines historical paintings, critiquing traditional representations of bodies and the male gaze.
Mohadese Movahed – recipient of the Rising Star Award
Mohadese Movahed’s work explores memory, identity, and place. Inherited Passageway features an ornate doorway leading only to a blocked wall, layered with graffiti, old photos, and bullet holes. A mirror embedded within reflects the viewer’s surroundings, blurring past and present. The piece highlights the tension between Iran’s cultural heritage and its turbulent history.
Sara Saadatfard – crowned with the People’s Choice Award.
Sara Saadatfard’s work blends Persian heritage with contemporary techniques, exploring memory, identity, and time. Women often appear and fade within her compositions, echoing the fleeting nature of memory. For Sara, painting is a form of magic—revealing hidden truths and offering a space to reflect on the complexities of existence.
