In a live-streamed ceremony on Wednesday evening, the Tate museum network in England named the Array Collective the winner of the 2021 Turner Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious art awards. This year’s edition of the prize marked the first time that its shortlisted nominees were all groups—a shift away from the award’s decades-long backing of individual artists since it was established in 1984. The other four nominees were collectives whose work focuses on social change: Black Obsidian Sound System, Cooking Sections, Gentle/Radical, and Project Art Works.
Array Collective, a Belfast-based group made up of 11 members, has been awarded the main prize of £25,000 (around $33,000). In a statement, the Tate praised the group’s work as “hopeful and dynamic,” adding that it “addresses urgent social and political issues affecting Northern Ireland with humor, seriousness, and beauty.” The remaining four nominees have been awarded prizes of £10,000 ($13,000).
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For the past two years, the Tate has reconstructed its premier art prize in recognition of the global pandemic’s impact on the arts. Last year, in lieu of the £25,000 that has been historically awarded to one artist each year, 10 artists and collectives were the recipients of individual grants of £10,000 ($12,500) designated as Turner Bursaries awards.
In 2019, the Turner Prize was split after its four nominees—Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Helen Cammock, Oscar Murillo, and Tai Shani—together called for the funds to be divided in a radical move to reflect solidarity amid widespread political unrest.
The work of the Turner Prize’s five nominated artist collectives is currently on view at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry, England. The 2021 edition of the award was judged by Aaron Cezar, the director of the Delfina Foundation; Kim McAleese, the programme director of Grand Union; British actor Russell Tovey; and Zoé Whitley, director of London’s Chisenhale Gallery.