COAL is an association created in 2008 by professionals of contemporary art, ecology and research. The COAL Prize 2026 invites artists to defend the night as a common good, a major ecological issue for the regeneration of life, a refuge, a diversity of languages to be celebrated, a right to rest and to darkness. Inventing stories to relearn how to inhabit the shadows, creating art with the night, is to contribute to an ecology of rhythms.
Applicants will be judged on the following criteria: artistic value, relevance, originality, pedagogy, social and participative approaches, eco-design and feasibility. The COAL Prize supports artistic projects in progress. The award is not intended to cover all production costs of the project but should be considered as an aid to its development.
The winning artist of the COAL Prize receives an endowment of 12,000 euros and a creative residency at the heart of the Domaine de Belval. The winning artist of the Jury’s Special Prize receives a prize of 3,000 euros. The winning artist of the Ateliers Médicis receives a residency in Clichy-sous-Bois/Montfermeil, in association with the Bondy regional forest. The winning artist of the mention Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles/Paris aka Le vaisseau will receive 2,000 euros and be invited to exhibit at the Paris institution.
Bewerbungsschluss: 28. April 2026