The Art Circle has launched an open call for the sixth edition of the TAC Award, inviting emerging and established artists across the UAE to submit work in response to the theme “on mending… when the breaking is still happening.”
Supported by Alserkal, the annual award provides UAE-based artists with opportunities for recognition among curators, collectors, cultural leaders and major art institutions. A jury of art and culture professionals will select the finalists, whose work will be presented in an exhibition at Alserkal Avenue in November. The winner will be revealed during the opening.
This year’s theme asks artists to consider the meaning of mending when damage is ongoing. Rather than presenting repair as a return to an untouched state, the brief approaches it as an act of care, continuity and resistance. Artists are encouraged to explore the idea through personal, political, intimate or collective perspectives, considering how scars, fragments and ruptures can carry stories of their own.
The winning artist will receive a significant financial award, while the original artwork will enter The Art Circle Collection. The piece will also be reproduced as a series of Giclée prints and shared with art specialists, institutional directors, artists and collectors through The Art Circle’s 2027 collaborations and international exchanges.
Every shortlisted artist will receive a certificate of participation and dedicated coverage across The Art Circle’s digital channels, alongside the opportunity to exhibit their work at one of Dubai’s most prominent cultural destinations.
The open call is available to UAE nationals and residents aged 18 and above. Submissions are limited to painting and mixed media, without digital techniques, and artworks must measure between 40 and 80 centimetres per side. There is no entry fee.
Applications close on September 10, 2026. Artists can find the full guidelines and apply at theartcircle.ae/award.
