néa téchni
Founded in 2022 by a group of contemporary art enthusiasts, the NÉA TÉCHNI Award was established to recognise and support emerging and established artists worldwide. All of the award's previous final exhibitions were held online, creating an accessible international platform for artists in its early years.
In 2026, NÉA TÉCHNI is pleased to present its first offline final exhibition, which will be held in the USA. This marks an important new chapter for the award, bringing shortlisted artists and winners together in a physical exhibition space for the first time. Details of the jury will be announced soon.
This new chapter also brings a change in focus. From this year onward, the NÉA TÉCHNI Award will be dedicated to painting and graphic work, with an emphasis on traditional and analog techniques — including printed analog photography and silver gelatin prints. In moving toward these enduring, hand-crafted media, the award reaffirms its commitment to craft, materiality, and the lasting value of the physical art object.
Remaining committed to contemporary art in all its forms, the NÉA TÉCHNI Award continues to support artistic excellence and to foster meaningful connections between artists, curators, and audiences on an international level.
What do we do?
We work to ensure that emerging artistic talent is seen, recognised, and supported. Through an international jury of art professionals, we identify and select artists whose practices demonstrate originality and strong contemporary relevance.
In addition to the award and exhibitions, we organise online and offline artist talks, bringing together artists, curators, writers, and other art professionals to encourage dialogue, visibility, and critical exchange.
Behind the scenes, we actively support emerging artists by connecting them with professional guidance from experienced art professionals. We are committed to mentoring and advising our shortlisted artists and winners, helping them navigate the art world with clarity and confidence.
If you are an emerging artist, or an institution interested in presenting artists, we welcome you to contact us to explore opportunities for collaboration.
Who can be a winner?
Who can be a winner?
We accept submissions from artists at all stages of their careers, from emerging to established practitioners. We celebrate creativity in all its forms and across a wide range of media, including painting and drawing, video, installation and performance, photography, digital and multimedia art, artistic film, and other contemporary practices.
In addition to visual and media-based works, we also welcome textual submissions, including critical and research-based writing. Our categories therefore include awards such as Best Text on Contemporary Art, recognising excellence in contemporary art discourse.
For all text-based categories, we ensure that at least one member of the jury is a qualified art professional with the expertise necessary to assess the quality, originality, and critical depth of written work.