Studio Voltaire and LOEWE FOUNDATION Announce New Award Scheme
In the wake of COVID-19, Studio Voltaire and LOEWE FOUNDATION are the latest organisations to team up, offering to support struggling artists.
In the wake of COVID-19, Studio Voltaire and LOEWE FOUNDATION are the latest organisations to team up, offering to support struggling artists.
With the ever-present existence of COVID ruining the lives of creatives one infection at a time, the past year has seen many fundraising initiatives and fashion houses step up to play their part in supporting young artists everywhere alike. Among many new awards that have been introduced over the past year (only last month did we report on the ICA teaming up with Doc Martens in support of the emerging talent award), the latest pledge announced to the fashion sphere is between Studio Voltaire and the LOEWE FOUNDATION. The new award promises to, in their own words, 'benefit seven artists with two years rent-free support through rent–free studio space, professional development opportunities and a bursary.'
The award has been designed in response to the urgent need for affordable and secure workspaces for artists. Throughout the pandemic, people have chosen to give up their spaces due to their income taking a whopping hit, or they've decided to move out of the city altogether along with the 700,000 unimpressed Londoners. Even before we all became oh-too familiar with the term 'SARS-CoV-2', London's studio spaces had started to dramatically decrease due to developers seeing 'artistic' areas and communities as prizes to cash in on for the rich and wealthy. The LOEWE FOUNDATION / Studio Voltaire Award aims to go against the demise of the artist's workspace to cultivate areas where creatives can connect with one another in a supportive studio environment honing in on the positive factors of artist's communities such as the elements of risk-taking, experimentation and exchange of ideas.
Established to celebrate talent above all else, the award promises to support artists at all stages of their career while also ensuring that it'll extend its help to including emerging and underrepresented practices, particularly from marginalised and subjected to experiencing forms of discrimination.
The deadline for applications is 18:00 GMT on 26 April 2021.