Turner Prize returns to Tate Liverpool for 2022

The Turner Prize - the prestigious award for contemporary art - is returning to Liverpool for the first time in 15 years.

Why is that important?

A selection of Britain’s most talented artists will be on show in our city. Household names such as Grayson Perry, Steve McQueen, Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin have all exhibited as part of the Turner Prize shortlist in the past.

The award will put Liverpool in the spotlight and the pre-Covid 2019 Turner Prize at Turner Contemporary in Margate attracted more than 141,000 visitors.

When is it happening?

Tate Liverpool on the Albert Dock will be hosting the exhibition in October 2022.

The public can nominate an artist on the Tate website and the jury selects a shortlist from the public and their own nominations.

An independent jury will announce the finalists in May 2022 and a winner will be selected in December of the same year.

What they said

Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson: “It’s a huge coup to once again host the prestigious Turner Prize in Liverpool. This is a city renowned for its rich, cultural scene.

“The return of the Turner Prize is brilliant news for Liverpool, the global spotlight will shine on us once more, and it feels like a real taste of things to come.”

Tate Liverpool director, Helen Legg: “It is wonderful to be holding the Turner Prize at Tate Liverpool for the second time.

“It is a prize that captures the imaginations of audiences and has had a transformational impact on the way people understand contemporary art.”

Rewind

Tate Liverpool was the first gallery outside London to host the Turner Prize in 2007.

British artist Mark Wallinger won the prize in that year for State Britain, a multi-part installation that recreated the protest camp set up by peace campaigner Brian Haw in Parliament Square, London, about the treatment of Iraq. It included a tea making area, hand-painted placards and teddy bears wearing peace slogan t-shirts.

Backstory

Established in 1984, each year the Turner Prize jury shortlists British artists who are either working primarily in Britain or born in Britain working globally.

A new independent panel of judges including writers, gallery directors, critics and curators are selected every year.

The Turner Prize is named after 19th century artist JMW Turner, a British artist who was deemed controversial in his day.

The winner receives £25,000 and £5,000 is given to each of the other shortlisted artists.

The Turner Prize 2021 will be presented at Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry as part of the UK City of Culture 2021 celebrations.