This year, the Linstow Art Award 2026 received 36 applications from graduates of the Art Academy of Latvia (LMA) Master’s programmes, confirming consistently high interest in the initiative for the second consecutive year. From all applicants, 12 finalists have been selected to present their works and artistic vision in person to an international jury. The jury will select three laureates who will become the winners of the Linstow Art Award 2026.

The mission of the Linstow Art Award is to provide long-term support for emerging Latvian artists, contributing to the development of the creative industries and ensuring a lasting presence of art in the urban environment. The three laureates of the “Linstow Art Award” will each receive a €3,000 monetary award and a 25-square-metre art studio space for one year at the creative SPORTA 2 quarter in Riga (www.sporta2.com), along with opportunities to exhibit their artworks.

“The high number of applications confirms that emerging talents value not only professional recognition and visibility, but also the opportunity to receive meaningful support for the development of their creative practice. The Linstow Art Award combines financial support with the opportunity to use an art studio space at the SPORTA 2 quarter for an entire year, creating an environment for professional growth and artistic experimentation. We believe this initiative is becoming an important platform for the development of emerging artists and, in the long term, also contributes to strengthening the creative industries in Latvia,” emphasizes Evija Majevska, Commercial Director of Linstow Baltic.

The Linstow Art Award provides targeted financial and practical support at the beginning of young artists’ professional careers – from studio space to funding for materials. Each year, the initiative is designed to support three of the most talented graduates of the LMA Master’s programmes.

The three laureates of the Linstow Art Award will receive:

• a €3,000 monetary award;
• an art studio space for one year at the creative SPORTA 2 quarter in Riga (www.sporta2.com);
• opportunities to exhibit their artworks.

In total, 36 applications were evaluated from graduates of the LMA Master’s programmes in Visual Arts, Visual Plastic Arts, Audiovisual Media Arts, and Design. Applications were open both to this year’s graduates and to artists who completed these programmes within the past three years.

Linstow Art Award 2026 finalists:

• Oto Holgers Ozoliņš – Procesa artifakti /Artifacts of Process – Visual Arts (2024)
• Anete Grīnberga – Aizmiršanas dārzā /Garden of Oblivion – Audiovisual Media Arts (2024)
• Dzelde Mierkalne – Šūpuļkodekss 42 / Cradlecodex 42 – Visual Arts (2023)
• Kristers Krūms – Draugu kaste / Chest of friends – Visual Plastic Arts (2025)
• Lauma Muižarāja – Rozanilīna bērni; Jaunā meitene pēc vēstures beigām – temporalitāte, afektīvā ekonomika un digitālais attēls / Rosaniline Children; The Young Girl After the End of History – Temporality, Affective Economy and the Digital Image – Visual Arts (2025)
• Anna Maskava – Kailā dzīvība / Bare Life – Audiovisual Media Arts (2025)
• Mika Solomon – Telpiskais zīmējums – DOM galerija / Spatial drawing – DOM gallery – Visual Arts (2024)
• Marta Prēdele – Domas un līkloči / Twists & Thoughts – Visual Plastic Arts (2023)
• Marta Viktorija Agruma – Neziņas mākonis 101–112 / The Cloud of Unknowing 101–112 – Visual Arts (2023)
• Matīss Daudziņš – Mi Amore / Mi Amore – Visual Plastic Arts (2025)
• Andris Kaļiņins – Prūsijas zilais. Pēc Iļjas Repina / Prussian Blue. After Ilya Repin – Visual Arts (2025)
• Beate Poikāne – Pagleznojums aiz Ledusskapja / Underpainting Behind the Refrigerator – Audiovisual Media Arts (2023)

The Linstow Art Award extends sincere gratitude to all applicants for their participation and submitted artworks. Thank you for your time, dedication, and willingness to share your artistic vision, creative identity, and professional approach.

Submitted works were evaluated by an international jury composed of Latvian and international experts in contemporary art, architecture, cultural policy, and design. The three laureates were selected based on criteria including the artist’s previous work and future potential, the formal and conceptual aspects of the submitted work, technical execution, and the relevance of its message.

The Linstow Art Award 2026 jury includes:

• Paulina Rider Wilhelmsen – founder of the “Linstow Art Award” and “Lise Wilhelmsen Art Award”; philanthropist, art patron, collector, and producer,
• Inga Lāce – “Linstow Art Award” Jury leader; Chief Curator at “Almaty Museum of Arts” in Kazakhstan, and C-MAP Central and Eastern Europe Fellow at “MoMA”, New York,
• Joanna Nordin – Artistic Director and curator at “Bonniers Konsthall”, Sweden,
• Susanne Østby Sæter – Curator of photography and new media at “Henie Onstad Art Centre”, Norway,
• Vita Liberte – Latvian lawyer, art collector, patron, entrepreneur, and founder of “VV Foundation”,
• Dina Suhanova – architect, project manager, and researcher at the “Institute of Contemporary Art”, Design and Architecture, Art Academy of Latvia.

The Linstow Art Award was established in 2025 through a collaboration between the leading Baltic real estate developer Linstow Baltic and the Art Academy of Latvia. The initiative aims to provide a contemporary platform for emerging Latvian artists to begin their professional careers and further develop their talent. The Linstow Art Award is part of the sustainable development approach of Linstow Baltic, where art and business are connected within a shared platform to support the growth of young talents and the development of a creative urban environment. Follow the latest updates from Linstow Art Award 2026 on Facebook and Instagram.