The Prince Claus Fund Seed Award 2026 is now open for applications, offering a powerful opportunity for emerging artists and cultural practitioners working in regions where cultural expression is under pressure. Each year, the Prince Claus Fund supports 100 artists whose work contributes meaningfully to social change, free expression, and sustainable futures.
Designed as a trust-based grant, the Seed Award empowers recipients with financial freedom and creative autonomy, allowing them to deepen their practice, experiment with new ideas, and strengthen their impact within their communities. If you are an early-career artist seeking international recognition and support, this call for applications could be a transformative step in your journey.
About the Prince Claus Fund Seed Award
The Prince Claus Fund, based in the Netherlands, is internationally recognized for its commitment to supporting culture, creativity, and socially engaged artistic practices in contexts affected by political, social, or economic challenges. Through the Seed Award, the Fund invests directly in artists as changemakers—those whose work sparks dialogue, nurtures resilience, and builds more equitable societies.
The 2026 Seed Award continues this mission by supporting artists who bring new perspectives, fresh energy, and innovative ideas to cultural and artistic fields. Past awardees have worked across disciplines such as visual arts, photography, performance, film, digital media, architecture, design, and community-based cultural practices.
Learn more about the Prince Claus Fund’s mission here:
https://princeclausfund.org
What Does the Seed Award Offer?
Each selected Seed Award recipient will receive €5,000 to invest in the growth of their artistic or cultural practice. Unlike project-based grants, this is a flexible and trust-based award, meaning recipients decide how best to use the funds according to their needs and vision.
The grant may be used for:
- Exploring new artistic directions or research
- Developing new bodies of work
- Investing in materials or equipment
- Building collaborations and networks
- Taking time to experiment and create without financial pressure
By placing full confidence in the artist, the Seed Award provides the space, freedom, and stability necessary for creative practices to flourish.
Who Is Eligible to Apply?
The Seed Award is open to individual emerging artists and cultural practitioners who meet the following criteria:
- You are in the early stage of your professional career (1–5 years, excluding study years)
- You have an innovative artistic or cultural practice addressing pressing social or political issues in your local context
- You have received little to no institutional recognition or funding
- Your work contributes to:
- Free expression and safe civic spaces
- Social participation and structural equity
- Environmental sustainability
- You are from, living, and working in an eligible country in:
- Africa
- Asia
- Latin America
- The Caribbean
- The Middle East
- Eastern Europe
The Prince Claus Fund is particularly interested in practices that are inclusive, thoughtful, grounded, and expansive in impact.
A full list of eligible countries can be found on the official Seed Award page:
https://princeclausfund.org/seed-awards
How to Apply for the 2026 Seed Award
Applications must be submitted through the Prince Claus Fund online application platform. Only completed applications submitted via the official platform will be considered.
Application Deadline
January 8, 2026 at 17:00 (Amsterdam Time)
Required Application Materials
Applicants will be asked to submit:
- A completed application form
- Samples of artistic or cultural work
- A current C.V.
- One reference letter
- A short pitch video or audio answering:
“What drives you as an artist?”
Apply directly through the official platform here:
https://princeclausfund.org/apply
Application Support and Information Webinar
To support applicants, the Prince Claus Fund previously hosted an Application Information Webinar, addressing common questions about the Seed Award process, eligibility, and selection criteria. While focused on the 2025 cycle, the insights remain highly relevant.
Watch the webinar here:
https://princeclausfund.org/events
Frequently Asked Questions
Applicants often ask:
- Can I reapply if I previously received or did not receive a Seed Award?
- Can I receive individual feedback on my application?
- What qualifies as supporting materials?
- Who should write my reference letter?
- What happens if my country is not listed as eligible?
- When will final decisions be announced?
Detailed answers to these questions are available on the Seed Award FAQ page:
https://princeclausfund.org/faq
Final Thoughts
The 2026 Prince Claus Fund Seed Award is more than financial support—it is a vote of confidence in the power of culture to drive change. For emerging artists committed to socially engaged practice and cultural resilience, this opportunity offers visibility, trust, and momentum at a crucial stage of growth.
If your work challenges norms, amplifies underrepresented voices, and imagines new futures, now is the time to apply.
Submit your application before January 8, 2026, and take the next step in shaping the future of culture.
