Where Culture Lives Artist Prize 2026
Open call for artists and creatives across six Dutch Caribbean islands to submit original work celebrating cultural heritage and community traditions.
The Where Culture Lives (WCL) Artist Prize launches an open call for artists and creatives in Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Maarten. This special opportunity invites artists from all disciplines to share their interpretation of where and how culture lives in their communities through original artistic work that captures the essence of cultural heritage on their island.
The prize welcomes submissions in all art forms including visual arts, music, performance, dance, literature and poetry, film, culinary arts, photography, and digital media. Artists are encouraged to explore cultural expressions found not only in museums but also in streets, kitchens, festivals, and everyday experiences as Caribbean people. Work may connect the past with the present, speak to community struggles and strengths, or explore what it means to belong in the community.
The WCL project aims to create a parallel knowledge stream documenting cultural life through artistic expression, complementing research findings. Selected works will be featured in project outputs and validation sessions, contributing to important conversations about cultural policy and development across the islands. The project was commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and is managed by St. Maarten-based consultancy Lemonade B.V.
Prize awards will be distributed on each island: 1st place $500, 2nd place $250, and 3rd place $125. Winners will be announced in April during Validation sessions scheduled across all islands.