ECC Awards
The European Cultural Centre is proud to present the prestigious ECC Awards, held annually during the closing day of the Personal Structures art exhibition. Since 2010, these awards have honoured exceptional projects featured in the ECC’s exhibitions, highlighting the work of artists, architects, designers, and academics whose contributions stand out in innovation and impact.
The ECC Awards celebrate excellence in four categories: Painting & Mixed Media, Sculpture & Installation, Video & Digital Art, Photography, and University & Research Projects. All participants of Personal Structures 2026 are automatically eligible for consideration, offering an exciting opportunity for wider recognition in their respective fields. Winners receive a unique, limited-edition artwork by Dutch artist René Rietmeyer, the founder of the European Cultural Centre.
An esteemed jury of industry experts is tasked with carefully selecting the most outstanding projects, ensuring that each award reflects the highest standards of creativity and influence in the world of art and architecture.
Discover the esteemed jury and the winning projects from the 2024 edition below!
Another panel of experts for the 2026 edition will be announced soon this year.
Painting & Mixed Media
The ECC Award goes to Chen Mei-Tsen with the project Paradise, exhibited at Palazzo Bembo.
Steve Bisson, Head of the Photography Department at Paris College of Art, Founder of Penisola Edizioni, and Editor-in-Chief at Urbanautica, highlighted: An extremely contemporary practice, focused on the navigating and satellite gaze, on the city as a synthesis of the human condition, and on the contradictory yet intrinsic relationship with nature, with the rhizome. An intimate reflection on what home is in the global fluidity that intertwines with the unsettling, omnipotent, calculating gaze that controls, observes, maps, and cartographs everything.
Sculpture & Installation
The ECC Award goes to Emily Young with the installation Embodied Consciousness, exhibited at Palazzo Mora and Marinaressa Gardens.
Saskia Fernando, Director of Saskia Fernando Gallery, Paradise Road Group and Founder of KALĀ platform elaborated on her choice: The artist chooses to work with a medium both challenging and strongly connected to the earth. Her sculpture appears unfinished, yet formed and this alongside her intention presents a truly impressive presentation of both skill and narrative.
Video & Digital Art
The ECC Award goes to Yao Jui-chung with the project Republic of Cynic: 1989, exhibited at Palazzo Mora.
Maria Nek, Co-founder of the European Cultural Academy, motivates the choice remarking: I chose Yao Jui-Chung’s piece because of its powerful approach to revisiting and reinterpreting history. By recreating the iconic “Tank Man” scene with inflatable tanks, he brings us back to a crucial moment of defiance, challenging us to analyze and reflect on its meaning today. This piece isn’t just about the past; it uses irony and contemporary symbols to provoke thought on historical narratives and the lasting impact of censorship.
Photography
The ECC Award goes to Sandra Cattaneo Adorno with the project Ten Years, exhibited at Palazzo Bembo.
Saskia Fernando, Director of Saskia Fernando Gallery, Paradise Road Group and Founder of KALĀ platform, explains: This artist’s installation presents photography in multiple forms, materials and experimentations, challenging the methods in which photography can capture movement and image. There is an interactive experience that seems to present itself which is essential when communicating the human experience.
University & Research Projects
The ECC Award goes to Rochester Institute of Technology, College of Art and Design with the project Cultural Disruptors, exhibited at Palazzo Mora.
Alexandra Laqueur, Managing Director of the European Cultural Academy, motivated the choice by explaining: In “Cultural Disruptors”, I see a gathering of artists who challenge the boundaries of identity, culture, and tradition through various forms of expression, including sculpture, film, photography, and design. Each artist shares a personal story that connects to larger global issues, from colonial history to race, gender, and family. For example, I find Juan Noguera’s work fascinating as it blends modern tools with traditional craftsmanship, while Elizabeth Kronfield’s sculptures and Joshua Rashaad McFadden’s photography explore deep questions of identity. Through these unique voices, I feel that the project creates space for new conversations about culture and change, demonstrating how individual narratives can inspire and reshape the way we view the world.
As we celebrate the exceptional artworks exhibited in Personal Structures with the ECC Awards, we look forward to encouraging exploration beyond boundaries, fostering a broader perspective, and overcoming restrictions to promote personal, social, and global growth.
Find out more about the proclamation and explore the shortlisted projects in this article.
