AWARDS
MAIN SECTION
This year once again, ArtVerona presents a substantial roster of Awards (mostly centred on residency and acquisition programmes) aimed at artists and galleries, offering concrete resources and opportunities for support across the entire art world supply chain.
INTERFIERA
A cross-disciplinary project connecting Veronafiere’s trade fairs
InterFiera is a cross-cutting project involving the leading events held by the Veronafiere Group that encourages the development of synergies, ranging from the creation of joint awards to the realisation of shared exhibition projects. This dialogue finds fertile ground for new opportunities for cultural and economic growth in the Veneto region, rich as it is in businesses and manufacturing, particularly in the natural stone and wine industries.
“Veronafiere organises internationally renowned trade fairs such as Vinitaly, Marmomac and Fieracavalli, bringing together leading companies from a wide range of sectors. Increasingly, businesses are engaging with the language of contemporary art. InterFiera, a project curated by Maria Marinelli, was conceived to connect these different worlds and foster new relationships with the contemporary art system,” says Laura Lamonea, Artistic Director of ArtVerona.
NEW AWARDS
ACQUISITION PRIZE
Gruppo Euromobil Prize
ArtVerona presents a new acquisition prize in collaboration with its new main sponsor, Gruppo Euromobil, a leading company in the furniture and design sector since 1972, which has long supported contemporary artistic research in Italy and internationally, with a particular focus on younger generations. The prize stems from the commitment of brothers Gaspare, Antonio, Fiorenzo and Giancarlo Lucchetta to support an artist under 35, recognising their ability to interpret the present through the different languages of the visual arts.
RESIDENCE AWARD | SECTION: EFFETTO SAUNA
Bonollo Foundation Prize
The award promoted by the Sandra and Giancarlo Bonollo Foundation for Contemporary Art was established with the aim of supporting and enhancing the artistic proposals presented within the Effetto Sauna section. Among the participating galleries, the jury will select one artist who will be given the opportunity to exhibit their work at the Ex Farmacia Pretto in Thiene (Vicenza), in a solo exhibition to be held in the months following the fair.
Founded in 2023, the Sandra and Giancarlo Bonollo Foundation for Contemporary Art promotes contemporary art and emerging forms of artistic expression through exhibitions, site-specific projects, and cultural enhancement initiatives. Part of the Foundation’s programme is Pillole d’Arte (“Art Pills”), a pilot project that supports and provides visibility to emerging artists who are not yet represented by the market, through exhibitions and activities hosted in the spaces of the Ex Farmacia Pretto.
ACQUISITION AWARDS
MC Collection Prize by Marco Curina
MC Collection is the new acquisition award established by collector Marco Curina, created with the aim of supporting and promoting contemporary artistic research. The selected artwork will become part of the private MC Collection, contributing to the growth and visibility of the awarded artist’s practice.
RENEWED AWARS
ACQUISITION AWARDS
Premio A Disposizione. Veronafiere per l’arte (At the Ready Award. Veronafiere for Art)
Founded in 2018, A Disposizione is the Veronafiere art acquisition find. Through this award, Veronafiere confirms both the importance of ArtVerona as the central initiative of the project for bringing together art, culture and business and the value of active collecting and support for artistic practices that promote values linked to innovation. This award creates collaborations between museums that are selected annually by the artistic director and add a work selected at the fair to their collections.
Nadia Zenato Foundation Prize
For the third year in a row, the wine entrepreneur Nadia Zenato is sponsoring an ArtVerona acquisition award, addressed to artists who express themselves through the language of photography. The creator of the work acquired at the fair will be hosted at the winery during the year in order to deepen the artistic exploration connected to the work.
This award reflects Zenato’s strong interest in experimental and research-oriented languages and commitment to collaborating with institutions and galleries, as attested by the foundation of the Zenato Academy in 2019.
Casarini Due Torri Hotel Painting Award for Under 40s
After celebrating the milestone of its tenth edition in 2025 – marked by the awarding of the Prize to Marco Sisto for the work Fiori di carta – the Casarini Due Torri Hotel Prize looks to the future, opening a new chapter in its commitment to supporting emerging contemporary painting. Established through the collaboration between ArtVerona and the Duetorrihotels Group, the award has, over the years, become one of the most significant initiatives dedicated to artists under the age of 40 who choose painting as a field for research and experimentation. Through the acquisition by the Due Torri Hotel of a work selected from those presented at ArtVerona, the Prize provides tangible support to emerging artists, strengthening the dialogue between art, business, and the local ecosystem.
Massimiliano Galliani Prize for Drawing Under 40s
The Massimiliano Galliani Prize for Drawing Under 40s returns for its sixth edition, an initiative dedicated to promoting contemporary drawing and organized by the cultural association artMacs in collaboration with the Municipality of Montecchio Emilia. Founded at the wish of the family of artist Massimiliano Galliani, who passed away prematurely, artMacs aims to preserve his legacy while supporting new generations of artists.
The acquisition will involve two works: the first will be acquired by artMacs as part of the creation of a collection dedicated to contemporary drawing, while the second will be acquired by the Municipality of Montecchio Emilia, which will organize a solo exhibition for the prize winner in 2027 in the rooms of Casa Cavezzi.
MZ Costruzioni PRIZE
This award was founded in 2019 by Antonio and Michele Zito, entrepreneurs and collectors who have made the solidity, innovation and environmental sustainability of steel the founding values of their company. Since 2011, this vision has been strengthened through passion for, commitment to and support of artistic exploration: ArtVerona is therefore delighted to celebrate this project and the company’s collection, renewing this important partnership by presenting an award addressed to all artists under 40, working in all languages. The aim is to contribute to the system through the acquisition of a work that represents values like transformation and growth.
CORPORATE ART AWARD
Dowedo – Namec – Nuove arti e mestieri dell’epoca contemporanea Prize (New arts and crafts of the contemporary era)
The award promoted by Dowedo, a brand specializing in custom-made furnishings founded by the third generation of M.Z. Costruzioni, was created with the aim of placing a spirit of research, exchange, and craftsmanship at the heart of the practice of emerging artists under the age of 40.
The selected artist will take part in a residency at the company, where they will have the opportunity to create an artwork through collaborative processes of design, prototyping, and production – drawing on metalworking techniques, three-dimensional modeling, and photorealistic rendering – while engaging in dialogue with skilled artisans and craftspeople. The award is intended for artists who already work with metals, but it is also open to those interested in exploring the potential of these materials and experimenting with new techniques.
PRODUCTION AWARD
Sustainable Art Prize
Set up in 2017 through an agreement with the Sustainability Office of Università Ca’ Foscari, Venice, the award develops art projects that entrust contemporary visual exploration with the task of probing and teasing out reflection on the goals of the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Sustainable Art Prize selects one ‘sustainable’ work of art each year and also actively involves groups of students working in response to various experts. Since 2022, the prize has involved the universities of Veneto and provides for a jury composed of a representative from each university (Ca’ Foscari Venice, Padua, and Verona) as well as a member designated by Veronafiere with ArtVerona. The primary goal of the Network is to promote a culture of sustainability both within and beyond universities by strengthening collaboration among institutions and leveraging shared knowledge and expertise in a coordinated system.
RESIDENCE AWARD
Villa Filanda Antonini Prize
The Villa Filanda Antonini Prize has been confirmed for a second year, offering the winning artist a two-week residency at Villa Filanda Antonini in Lancenigo. Conceived as an opportunity to further develop the artist’s practice, the residency provides dedicated time and resources to support the advancement of their creative research.
Arper Feltrin Foundation was established in 2021 by Claudio, Mauro, and Giulio Feltrin with the aim of fostering dialogue between contemporary art, design, and architecture. For several years, the Foundation has supported the Villa Filanda Antonini Artist Residency Program, conceived and founded by Eliisa Korpijärvi and Giulio Feltrin. The residencies take place at Villa Filanda Antonini, an historic nineteenth-century silk mill and the current headquarters of the Foundation, and are aimed at young artists developing site-specific projects that engage with the local territory, productive traditions, and social and cultural heritage. The program encourages the creation of connections with a network of universities, research centers, companies, and manufacturing enterprises across Northeastern Italy.
Display Award
ArtVerona is confirming its support for the art world with an award for galleries that not only presented works and artists of high calibre but also created an effective, dynamic, coherent and innovative display. Three exhibitors will be awarded a discount on registration for ArtVerona 2027.
