Tate Britain, which organises the Turner Prize, will not be holding its event this year due to the short timetable to prepare the exhibition following the pandemic disruption.
The news will come as a blow to the art community as the Turner prize is Britain’s most prestigious event that normally offers a variety of prizes including £25,000 to winning artists for the extraordinary work – announced each December.
However, artists will be able to benefit from 10 bursaries of £10,000 each instead. A jury of experts from the art field have been preparing a shortlist and will soon be holding a special virtual meeting to select winning artists for this year.
Alex Farquharson, director of Tate Britain, speaking this week about the Turner Bursaries said: “The practicalities of organizing a Turner Prize exhibition are impossible in the current circumstances, so we have decided to help support even more artists during this exceptionally difficult time. I think JMW Turner, who once planned to leave his fortune to support artists in their hour of need, would approve of our decision.”
Winners of the bursaries will be announced later in June.