Athens, Greece – The National Museum of Contemporary Art of Greece (EMST) has been officially shortlisted for the prestigious 2026 European Museum of Art Award.
This is a significant cultural achievement that enhances the museum international standing
and underscores its leading role in the contemporary cultural landscape.
High-level European competition and wide geographical areas
Alongside the Greek Museum of Museums (EMST), the shortlist for the competition
includes a selection of prestigious international museums.
Among the most prominent are the renowned Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam,
the new FENIX Museum of Migration in Rotterdam, and the Slovenian National Gallery in Ljubljana.
The European Academy of Museums explained that this year’s competition was
distinguished by its exceptionally high artistic and cultural standards.
This presented the jury of nine European experts with an extremely difficult task in narrowing down the competition.
The jury selected only six finalists from a wide range of outstanding submissions.
Innovation standards and the social mission of museums
The European Museum of Art (EAM) Prize, awarded annually by the European Academy of Museums (a non-profit organization
with representatives from 40 countries), highlights the outstanding social role of art museums.
The prize aims to reward innovative practices and creative ideas that integrate art
into pioneering contexts to critically address contemporary social issues.
Samuel Gallagher, Chair of the Prize Jury, emphasized that the jury seeks museums that go beyond visual spectacle
and strive to build meaningful and lasting relationships with their audiences.
He also praised the curatorial practices of the shortlisted museums
as models of excellence and of vital importance to society.
The prize evaluation is based on a democratic and humanistic framework encompassing social justice,
inclusion, gender equality, community empowerment, and sustainability.
The winning museum will be officially announced at the closing ceremony on September 26, 2026.
New cultural programs and art exhibitions
In a related context, this achievement coincides with the museum launch of
its new exhibition series for 2026-2027, centered around the concept of “universality.”
These events include two prominent solo exhibitions. The first is by Istanbul-born artist Hera Boyktashian,
whose work explores themes of memory, loss, and hidden narratives in architecture and nature.
The second is by Greek artist Despina Mimaroglou, titled “This Is Not a Film,”
in which she deconstructs the language of mass media and stereotypes
by employing a hybrid visual material of newspapers and photographs.
