open call
The Kazimir Malevich Art Award returns in 2025!
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After a five-year hiatus, one of the most important awards for Ukrainian artists is making a comeback. In 2025, the Kazimir Malevich Award will be presented in a new form, with an expanded format and a newly established Council of Laureates to ensure the continuity of the initiative. The goal is to foster lasting cooperation, based on the principles of civic society, in the field of contemporary art between Poland and Ukraine. The award is organized by the Polish Institute in Kyiv in collaboration with the Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle. Applications are now open.
- The Kazimir Malevich Award was launched in 2008 by the Polish Institute in Kyiv and the Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art as a joint Polish-Ukrainian initiative. The Malevich Award honors Kazimir Malevich – an avant-garde artist of Polish descent born in Kyiv – who symbolizes the cultural ties between the two nations. In times of profound social and political transformation, the award continues to serve as a platform for dialogue and artistic exchange. The key innovation in this edition is the formation of a Council of Laureates, comprising previous award winners. This development reinforces the project’s autonomy within the landscape of European art awards.
- Previous winners:
- 2008 – Alevtyna Kakhidze
- 2010 – Stas Volyazlovsky
- 2012 – Zhanna Kadyrova
- 2014 – Lada Nakonechna
- 2016 – Mykyta Kadan
- 2018 – Ivan Svitlychnyi
- 2020 – Sasha Kurmaz
- Who can receive the Malevich Award?
- The award is presented biennially to Ukrainian artists under the age of 45, regardless of their place of residence. For the first time, artist groups are also eligible to participate. The award may be presented to artists working in any discipline whose practice is distinguished by quality, originality, significance, and contribution to the development of contemporary art.
- What will the winner of the 2025 Malevich Award receive?
- A cash prize of EUR 5,000 gross, funded by the Polish Institute in Kyiv, as well as an artist residency at the Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle in Warsaw in 2026.
- How to submit a nomination
- Nominations may be submitted by cultural institutions, galleries, museums, research centers, and creative associations from both Ukraine and abroad.
- Deadline for nominations: 22 September 2025
- Email address for submissions: nagroda.k.malewicz@instytutpolski.pl
- Language of nominations: English
- Application format: one PDF file titled:
- MALEWICZ 2025_Surname/Group_name.pdf
- The file must include:
- completed nomination form
- CV of the artist or group
- portfolio (max. 10 MB)
- Stages of the competition:
- until 22 Sep 2025 – open call for nominations
- until 31 Oct 2025 – announcement of three finalists
- 15 Nov 2025 – award ceremony
- The three finalists will be selected by a Polish-Ukrainian jury through a secret ballot. The winner(s) will be announced on the day of the award ceremony.
