1. Nature and Scope of the Award

SUPERIORITAS is an international, non-acquisitive contemporary art award dedicated to research-based, conceptually rigorous, and critically engaged artistic practices.

The Award is conceived not as a call-for-entries platform, but as a curatorial and editorial project, operating annually and developing continuity over time through exhibitions, publications, and archival work.

SUPERIORITAS does not acquire artworks.
All submitted and exhibited works remain the full property of the artist.

2. Eligibility and General Conditions

The Award is open to artists of all nationalities and countries of residence.

The following are not eligible to participate:

• Members of the SUPERIORITAS organizing team

• Members of the professional jury

There are no restrictions regarding:

• Age

• Year of production

• Size

• Medium

• Theme

The official language of the Award is English.
Submission fees, where applicable, are non-refundable.

3. Definitions

Author (Artist)

The Author is the individual or collective who created the submitted artwork and who holds full legal copyright to it.

The Author has the authority to submit the work, grant usage rights as defined herein, and make all decisions related to participation in the Award.

Artwork

An Artwork is an artistic work created using any medium, method, or technique eligible under the Award categories.

Works may include:

• Mechanical or industrial processes

• Digital, computational, or AI-assisted methods

• Photomechanical reproduction

• Collaborative production involving professionals from other disciplines

Provided that authorship, copyright ownership, and consent of collaborators are clearly established and retained by the Author.

4. Award Categories and Prizes

Painting

Works grounded in painting-based practice, including expanded, conceptual, and research-driven approaches to painting.

Curatorial Special Prize (Painting)
Awarded for exceptional conceptual clarity and research relevance within painting practice.

Sculpture and Installation

(Including Land Art and Urban Art)

Three-dimensional, spatial, and site-responsive practices engaging with:

• Material research

• Landscape and environment

• Public or architectural space

• Contextual and territorial conditions

Curatorial Special Prize (Sculpture and Installation)
Awarded for outstanding research-driven or contextually engaged practice.

Time-Based and Digital Practices

(Including Video Art, Digital Graphics, Performance, and Sound Art)

Works engaging with:

• Time, duration, and movement

• Sound and performance

• Code, digital environments, and experimental media

• Interdisciplinary and hybrid research practices

Curatorial Special Prize (Time-Based and Digital Practices)
Awarded for conceptual depth, innovation, and research-oriented approaches.

Research-Based Art Prize

Awarded across all categories to an artist whose practice demonstrates:

• Sustained inquiry

• Critical methodology

• Strong theoretical or investigative foundations

Beyond medium-specific classification.

This prize cannot be applied for and is assigned solely by the jury.

Special Prizes

Awarded to selected artists across all categories for notable artistic, conceptual, experimental, or critical practices.

Special Prizes do not replace section prizes and may be awarded at the jury’s discretion.

5. Submission Procedure

Applications must be submitted exclusively through the official SUPERIORITAS online application form.

Physical artworks must not be shipped, mailed, or transported at any stage of the application or selection process.

Each submission must include:

• Complete artist identification

• Category selection

• Artwork documentation

• A conceptual description focused on research context, intentions, and the relationship between concept and medium

• Valid payment confirmation

Authorized representatives may submit on behalf of an artist, provided the artist has given full consent and agrees to all Terms and Conditions.

6. Documentation Requirements

For each submitted artwork:

• At least one image, video, or file must represent the artwork in its entirety

• Detail images may be included only in addition to a full-view representation

Two-Dimensional Works

• At least one full view with all edges clearly visible

Three-Dimensional, Installation, or Spatial Works

• At least one angled or corner view showing depth and spatial presence

• Additional views may be requested for curatorial accuracy

Video, Sound, or Time-Based Works

• Streaming links only (Vimeo, YouTube, or private platforms)

• Maximum total duration: 30 minutes

Up to three images may be submitted per artwork.
Submissions may not be modified after final submission.

7. Copyright, Originality, and Responsibility

By submitting an application, the Author confirms that:

• All works are original

• Full copyright is held by the Author

• All collaborators (if any) are named and have given consent

• The work does not infringe upon third-party rights

Plagiarism, unauthorized copying, or direct imitation of third-party works, concepts, compositions, or structures is strictly prohibited.

The Author assumes full legal responsibility for any disputes related to copyright, intellectual property, or authorship.

8. Jury Structure and Decision Process

The Award is evaluated by an independent international jury composed of a minimum of three (3) professionals, with the possibility of expansion.

Jurors are selected among:

• Artists

• Curators

• Critics

• Researchers

Of recognized professional standing.

Jurors may not participate in the Award as authors.

All jury decisions regarding:

• Selection

• Finalist status

• Awards

• Special prizes

Are final and not subject to appeal.

SUPERIORITAS reserves the right to request additional documentation to verify originality or to support accurate curatorial presentation.

9. Curated Final Exhibition

Finalist selection does not result in a simple listing.

Finalists are presented within a curated exhibition, developed conceptually rather than organized by medium alone.

Each edition of the Award is built around a specific curatorial framework that contextualizes selected practices within broader artistic, cultural, or theoretical questions.

Finalists are contacted individually after selection and may be asked to provide additional documentation to support professional exhibition design and curatorial coherence.

10. Professionally Designed Digital Exhibition

The Final Exhibition takes place within a custom-designed digital environment, developed specifically for each edition.

This is:

• Not a template gallery

• Not a standardized viewing format

The exhibition follows a spatial and conceptual narrative reflecting relationships between works.

Features include:

• Immersive digital exhibition design

• Long-term online accessibility

• Full artist credits

• Curatorial and contextual texts

11. Editorial Context and Publication (Imitazione)

The exhibition is accompanied by a substantial editorial program developed in collaboration with Imitazione.

This includes:

• Curatorial essays

• Research-oriented texts

• Critical writing prioritizing analysis over promotion

Each finalist is invited to participate in an interview published in the annual Imitazione issue.

The publication:

• Is available digitally

• May be ordered as a printed edition

• Is distributed internationally

• Reaches multilingual audiences

12. Visibility, Archive, and Continuity

SUPERIORITAS prioritizes professional visibility, not mass exposure.

The Award operates through:

• International jury networks

• Curated exhibition access

• Long-term archival presence

Finalist works become part of the permanent Award archive, providing artists with a stable, citable reference for professional use.

The Award takes place annually and builds continuity across editions.

13. Usage Rights

Artists grant SUPERIORITAS a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual right to reproduce and publish images and documentation of finalist, winning, and special prize works exclusively in connection with the Award, including:

• Exhibitions

• Publications

• Archives

• Educational and research contexts

All uses include full artist credit.

Permission will always be sought for external opportunities beyond the Award.

14. Communication, Promotion, and Collaborative Visibility

14.1 Award-Related Communication and Campaigns

By submitting an application, artists grant SUPERIORITAS the right to use images, video stills, excerpts, and documentation of submitted, finalist, winning, and special prize artworks for all communication and dissemination activities directly connected to the Award.

Such activities may include, without limitation:

• official online and digital communication campaigns,

• announcements related to the Open Call, selection process, finalists, winners, and special prizes,

• promotion of exhibitions, publications, and editorial content,

• press releases, press kits, and media outreach,

• publication on SUPERIORITAS websites and affiliated platforms,

• dissemination through social media channels, newsletters, and digital archives,

• communication by institutional, editorial, or festival partners involved in the Award.

All uses are non-exclusive, non-commercial, and directly related to the mission, visibility, and documentation of the Award.
Full credit to the artist will be provided in all contexts.

14.2 Artist Independence and Parallel Use

Artists retain full ownership of their artworks and remain free to:

• publish,

• exhibit,

• distribute,

• or sell their works independently at any time.

Participation in the Award does not restrict future professional, institutional, or commercial engagements.

14.3 Collaborative Visibility and Mutual Acknowledgment

Artists selected as finalists, winners, or special prize recipients are encouraged to acknowledge their participation in SUPERIORITAS when presenting works or projects related to the Award in their own communication channels, including personal websites and social media platforms.

SUPERIORITAS encourages collaborative forms of visibility based on mutual recognition and professional exchange, including:

• shared or coordinated announcements,

• mutual tagging and crediting on social media,

• references to the Award in posts, captions, or project descriptions,

• collaborative communication around exhibitions, publications, or editorial features connected to the Award.

Such collaboration is encouraged as part of a professional and curatorial relationship, but is not mandatory and does not constitute a contractual obligation.

14.4 Long-Term Communication and Archival Context

SUPERIORITAS may continue to reference and publish finalist and awarded works within:

• archival presentations,

• retrospective editorial content,

• research-oriented or educational contexts related to the Award’s history and development.

This long-term visibility is intended to support artists’ professional profiles by providing stable, citable references connected to the Award’s curatorial and editorial framework.

15. Disqualification, Modifications, and Final Provisions

SUPERIORITAS reserves the right to:

• Disqualify entries breaching these Terms

• Revoke awards or titles

• Modify timelines

• Cancel or postpone elements of the Award if necessary

These Terms and Conditions constitute the full and binding agreement between the artist and SUPERIORITAS.