TURNER PRIZE 2021 TO BE A HIGHLIGHT OF COVENTRY’S UK CITY OF CULTURE 2021 PROGRAMME
21 October 2020
Turner Prize 2021 Jury announced: Alex Farquharson, Director, Tate Britain (Chair);
Aaron Cezar, Director, Delfina Foundation; Kim McAleese, Programme Director, Grand Union;
Russell Tovey, Actor; Zoé Whitley, Director, Chisenhale Gallery
The Turner Prize will be presented at Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry as part of the city’s UK City of Culture 2021 celebrations.
Herbert Art Gallery & Museum champions Coventry’s culture, city and arts and is one of the UK’s leading regional museums. As part of its preparations for City of Culture 2021, the museum is undergoing a major redevelopment of its gallery spaces. The exhibition of the Prize’s four shortlisted artists will be presented from 29 September 2021 to 12 January 2022 with the announcement of the winner on 1 December 2021.
One of the best-known prizes for the visual arts in the world, the Turner Prize aims to promote public debate around new developments in contemporary British art. Established in 1984, the Prize is awarded to a British artist for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work in the previous twelve months. The Turner Prize award is £40,000 with £25,000 going to the winner and £5,000 each for the other shortlisted artists.
The Turner Prize travels outside London’s Tate Britain every other year and has previously been shown in Liverpool in 2007, Gateshead in 2011, Derry in 2013, Glasgow in 2015, Hull in 2017, and Margate in 2019.
Francis Nielsen, Cultural & Creative Director of Culture Coventry said: “We are incredibly excited to host the prestigious Turner Prize at Herbert Art Gallery & Museum and display some of the world’s most captivating contemporary art. The show will be presented alongside a range of local, national, and international artists as part of Coventry Biennial 2021 which showcases the city as an exemplar of innovative, experimental, and radical artistic practice. We can’t wait to share this special moment in the UK City of Culture programme with new and existing visitors.
Alex Farquharson, Director, Tate Britain and Chair of the Turner Prize jury said: “The Turner Prize gives everyone a chance to see some of the most exciting art being made today, and it offers all the artists involved a unique platform for their work. After the pandemic made it impossible to stage an exhibition this year, I’m delighted that the Turner Prize will now be coming to the Herbert Art Gallery. We're looking forward to working with them as a part of Coventry’s ambitious programme for UK City of Culture 2021.”
The 2021 Jury: Aaron Cezar, Director, Delfina Foundation; Kim McAleese, Programme Director, Grand Union; Russell Tovey, Actor; Zoé Whitley, Director, Chisenhale Gallery; Alex Farquharson, Director, Tate Britain (Chair).
