SPRENGEL PRIZE – Lower Saxony in Europe

The SPRENGEL PRIZE – Lower Saxony in Europe, awarded every two years, honors emerging visual artists with a birth, training, or residence connection to Lower Saxony and promotes impulses for European cultural exchange. The award, endowed with €25,000, was initiated by Bernhard Sprengel and is granted by the Lower Saxony Savings Banks Foundation in cooperation with the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture as well as the Sprengel Museum Hannover. It supports the realization of a journey through Europe lasting up to six months. Exhibition and catalog productions document the artistic work and the stay abroad. The decisive criteria are the artistic quality of the submitted works and the potential for cross-border cultural encounters – evaluated by an expert jury composed of museum, university, and foundation specialists.

Eligible to participate are individuals born in Lower Saxony, trained there, or permanently residing there. The funding can be used for travel expenses within Europe as well as for exhibition and catalog productions. Applicants submit their portfolio, a project description, and CV online; the jury makes its decision based on the foundation’s funding guidelines and sustainability checklist. The funding period amounts to six months, during which the exhibition is realized at the Sprengel Museum Hannover. The goal is to strengthen cultural dialogue in Europe and provide young artists with a platform for further collaborations. The SPRENGEL PRIZE, embedded in a network of funding and advisory partners, opens new horizons for creative perspectives beyond regional borders.