Short Description
Established in 2000 and recognized as a public utility in 2005, the François Schneider Foundation pursues a dual commitment : supporting education by providing scholarships in Alsace and the Yonne, and promoting contemporary artistic creation.
Art center, inaugurated in 2013, is located in the former bottling factory of the Wattwiller thermal springs in Alsace (France). The venue is entirely dedicated to the theme of water, which it explores each year through temporary exhibitions highlighting internationally renowned artists and emerging talents. The issue of water is addressed from multiple perspectives: plastic, poetic, aesthetic, geographical, political, and scientific.
Through various initiatives, including the “Talents Contemporains” competition, the François Schneider Foundation supports visual artists in developing their careers, notably through the acquisition of their works and the exhibition of their artistic projects. The Foundation also promotes these artists through publications, loaning artworks, and traveling exhibitions.
The Contemporary Talents Competition
Reflecting contemporary artistic creation, the Talents Contemporains competition, initiated in 2011, aims to explore European and international art scenes around the specific theme of water. This has led to the development of a highly original collection featuring artists with diverse backgrounds, including those graduated from renowned art schools as well as self-taught artists with unconventional trajectories. Today, this collection forms a unique ensemble that runs counter to certain institutional or market trends. The works are exhibited both within the art center and increasingly circulated through off-site projects. For the winning artists, the prize not only provides substantial financial support but also serves as a stepping stone in their careers, offering institutional recognition, various communication opportunities, and engagement with the public.
Eligibility
This competition is open to major visual artistes, of all nationalities at the mid-point of their career.
→ You must have a professional artistic activity and/or be a graduate of an art school. Candidates must be able to show several personal and/or group exhibitions, as well as publications (monographs and/or catalogs), and/or have participated in an artist residency.
→ The eligible disciplines are the following : painting, drawing, sculpture, installation, photography, video, textile, or any other form of plastic or visual art (live performance and music are not included).
→ The work presented for the competition is on the theme of water.
→ For installations and sculptures, artists may submit either an existing work or a project. In the case of a project, a production budget of a maximum of 50,000 € must be attached.
→ For other art forms, only an existing work can be submitted. No additional production budget can be allocated for paintings, drawings, photographs or videos.
→ The work presented, which may consist of a set or a single piece, must be unique. (for video or photography if the work includes editions, the prize is different, see rules). Films, live shows and performances will not eligible.
→ Technical criteria: oils on canvas and drawings must not exceed the size of 320 x 210 cm for a single piece.
Diptychs and triptychs are accepted.
Submission Requirements
- Your curriculum vitae and / or presentation of the collective of artists, justifying an artistic background (work recently exhibited in institutions, galleries, festivals, etc. or having participated in one or more artistic residencies) (PDF format, 2 pages maximum).
- Your portfolio / artistic presentation of your work (PDF format, 20 A4 pages maximum, 20 MB maximum)
- A note of intent presenting the work or project and the artist’s approach for the competition, intellectual and creative approach (PDF format, 2 pages maximum) as well as a short presentation of the work (maximum 1,100 characters with spaces).
- A precise technical description of the existing work or project (sculptures, installations), title, materials, technique, dimensions, weight, constraints and technical means required for the exhibition, assembly or transport of the work (PDF format, 1 page maximum).
- A detailed production budget of up to € 50,000 for works presented in the form of projects for sculptures and installations (PDF format).
- 3 to 5 color visuals (photo, drawing, diagram, modeling, plan, etc.) (JPG format, 5 MB maximum per visual).
- Video extract for the video works. It is possible to attach a video capture for the other works (painting, sculpture, etc.) in order to contextualize it (format MOV/MP4, 4 GB maximum).
How to Apply
Program Benefits & Awards
A maximum of 7 “Contemporary Talents” prize-winners will be chosen from amongst the candidates, each of whom will receive €15,000 for the acquisition of their work. The endowment also includes:
- A collective exhibition at the Foundation’s Contemporary Art Centre
- A bilingual publication presenting the prize-winners’ work
- The inclusion of the work in the Foundation’s collection
- A video portrait of each of the laureates.
Entry Fee
None
Location
Wattwiller, France
Timeline
- Application Deadline: 23 November 2025
Website Link: https://www.fondationfrancoisschneider.org/en/contemporary-talents-competition/
