Björk has been tapped as a juror for the fifth edition of the CIRCA Prize, an annual award given by London-based arts organization Cultural Institute of Radical Contemporary Arts (CIRCA). Over the next 50 days, CIRCA is accepting entries from artists, performers, poets, activists, architects, game designers, and filmmakers worldwide, each invited to submit a 2.5-minute film. The Icelandic musician launched the open call for entries on May 1st with an excerpt of her new film Cornucopia, broadcast across London’s iconic Piccadilly Circus.
The winner of the 2025 CIRCA Prize will receive £30,000 ($39,800) to support their creative practice and realize the Picadilly public commission, which will premiere in 2027. The winner will also receive a trophy designed by Ai Weiwei. This year’s edition invites participants to respond to the theme of “REFUGIA”—which calls for the creation of sanctuaries where life may adapt and grow in an uncertain future.
The ecological term “refugia” refers to places where species endure during periods of crisis. CIRCA adapts the term as a metaphor for cultural resilience, proposing that artists can build “pockets of refuge,” according to London curator Ben Broome. Amid global precarity, artists are poised to offer space not only for survival but for collaboration and growth.
Björk is one of several esteemed cultural leaders who will serve as jurors for the 2025 CIRCA Prize. These include artist Alvaro Barrington, former British Vogue editor Edward Enninful, gallerist Ebony L. Haynes, arts patron Nicoletta Fiorucci, creative producer Michèle Lamy, and CIRCA’s founder and artistic director Josef O’Connor. Additional jurors include Hans Ulrich Obrist of the Serpentine Galleries, art historian Norman Rosenthal, and Catherine Wood, director of programme at Tate Modern.
This September, CIRCA will announce 30 shortlisted artists and have their work exhibited on screens in London and Berlin. Alongside the jury prize, a public vote will determine a second winner. “This is an opportunity for artists to showcase their vision and creativity on a global stage and we’re excited to see how the next generation of artists will interpret the theme of REFUGIA and inspire us all with their work,” said O’Connor.
The 2024 winner of the CIRCA Prize was British Congolese artist Bernice Mulenga. Last year’s jury included Ai Weiwei and Marina Abramović. Kurdish artist Cemile Sahin won the 2023 prize for her film Four Ballads for my Father – Spring (2022).
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