The 11th edition of Artes Mundi, the UK's largest contemporary art prize, has opened across multiple venues in Wales, featuring six international shortlisted artists. The multi-venue format includes a group show at the National Museum Cardiff and solo presentations at Mostyn in Llandudno, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery in Swansea, and Chapter Art Centre in Cardiff. Artists such as Jumana Emil Abboud, Antonio Paucar, Anawana Haloba, Sawangwongse Yawnghwe, Kameelah Janan Rasheed, and Sancintya Mohini Simpson explore themes of home, belonging, displacement, and community through diverse media including sculpture, performance, painting, and text-based installation. The winner of the £40,000 prize will be announced on 15 January 2026.
This edition matters because it deepens Artes Mundi's commitment to connecting international contemporary art with local Welsh communities, using partner venues to create site-specific dialogues between global themes and regional histories. By addressing urgent issues such as colonial legacy, forced migration, and cultural identity, the exhibition positions art as a tool for understanding displacement and fostering community resilience. The prize also continues to elevate underrepresented voices from the Global South, reinforcing its role as a platform for socially engaged art on a national stage.