Swiss private banking group Julius Baer has launched a digital art competition for young artists in Southeast Asia. The inaugural Next Generation Art Prize is open to Southeast Asian artists, aged 18 to 40 years old.

Entries should reflect at least one of the bank’s Next Generation investment themes – arising Asia, digital disruption, energy transition, feeding the world, future cities, shifting lifestyles and inequality – or the theme of sustainability. Participants can send in their digital art creations until February 28 2021 at https://www.juliusbaer.com/en/spotlight/next-generation-art-prize/

“We are pleased to extend Julius Baer’s long tradition of supporting the arts to Asia, the group’s second home market. With this inaugural art prize, we hope to nurture and empower young artistic talent, discover and promote emerging voices, ideas and expressions in Asia,” says Jimmy Lee, head of Asia-Pacific and member of the executive board at Bank Julius Baer.

“With a focus on Southeast Asia, we are excited to play a role in developing the region’s burgeoning art scene and promoting a culturally diverse and technologically advanced arts community. This is in line with a worldwide shift to focus on digital and technology’s value as a conduit of business and leisure that has seen attitudes and assumptions challenged by the advent of the pandemic,” adds Jason Moo, head of private banking for Southeast Asia and manager of Singapore branch at Bank Julius Baer.

There are two categories of digital art: still image (e.g., digital photography) and moving image (e.g., video art). Three winners will be selected from each category and will each receive a cash prize of US$15,000, US$10,000 and US$5,000 respectively. Prizes total up to US$60,000. All digital artworks must be original and completed between January 1 2019 and February 28 2021 in order to qualify for consideration.

A panel of five jurors will select 20 finalists, ten from each category. The finalists will be assessed on conceptual insight, originality of visual expression and utilization of the medium. The jurors include Barbara Staubli, curator of The Julius Baer Art Collection based in Switzerland; Dr. Wiyu Wahono, art collector based in Indonesia; Dr. Cheryl Loh, contemporary art collector and practising doctor based in Singapore; Audrey Yeo, gallerist of Yeo Workshop in Singapore; and Inti Guerrero, curator based in Manila.