ECC Awards
Since 2010, the European Cultural Centre has celebrated innovative and impactful contributions to contemporary culture through the ECC Awards. The Awards recognise artists, architects, designers, and researchers whose work engages critically with the world, fostering new perspectives and meaningful connections across disciplines and communities.
All projects presented within the exhibition are eligible for consideration. An international jury of industry experts will select recipients across the new categories introduced for the 2026 edition, reflecting the curatorial focus of Personal Structures – Confluences and the ECC’s commitment to research, dialogue, and social impact. Through these Awards, the European Cultural Centre aims to amplify diverse voices, highlight emerging practices, and honour projects that inspire reflection on the present while imagining future possibilities. Winners will be announced at the conclusion of the exhibition.
The new categories of the ECC Awards embrace the complexity of contemporary artistic practices and the curatorial focus of Personal Structures – Confluences. The Awards aim to support and highlight practices that transform diversity into opportunities for encounter, exchange, and growth, placing research, social impact, site sensitivity, and interdisciplinarity at the centre, aligned with ECC Italy’s mission and the unique context of Venice. Through these recognitions, the ECC Awards highlight new visions, amplify artists’ voices as reflections of society, and support practices that interpret the present and imagine the future. The winners will be announced at the end of the exhibition.
Palazzo Bembo, Photo by Federico Pilli
ECC Awards Categories 2026
Artistic Interpretation of the Theme: Confluences
Recognises the project that offers the most powerful interpretation of this year’s theme, expressing encounters between cultures, languages, generations and perspectives through a strong, coherent artistic vision.
Research & Curatorial Project
Awarded to museums, universities, and curatorial or research institutions, this award recognises a research-based project with a clear and thoughtful curatorial vision that meaningfully engages with the theme.
Space & Context Project
Recognises the project that creates the most compelling relationship between artwork, space, and audience, activating the architecture and the Venetian context as an integral part of the work.
Cross-Disciplinary Project
Celebrates the project that successfully integrates artistic practice with other disciplines, such as design, architecture, science, technology, or research, highlighting exchange and collaboration.
Emerging Practice
Recognises an emerging artist, collective, or creative whose work demonstrates originality, research potential, and a unique contribution to contemporary practice.
Special Award Recognition – “Artist as Activist”
This recognition has been created to celebrate artists whose practice transcends conventional boundaries and generates meaningful social impact through their work.
Explore the 2024 winners and discover the jury behind the selections on the dedicated page.
