The 2026 Art Explora - Académie des beaux-arts European Award

"Touch Beyond Sight": A new choreographic style developed with blind and partially sighted people, and then passed on to other dancers, including sighted dancers, with a view to creating a joint production.

"Touch Beyond Sight", Jazdaa Polska!​, Poland

A new choreographic style developed with blind and partially sighted people, and then passed on to other dancers, including sighted dancers, with a view to creating a joint production.

© Photo: Bartosz Seifert

"Boundless Horizons": A rediscovery of Lübeck’s Gothic heritage through a piece performed simultaneously on the organs of the city’s three churches and a collective sound installation created by its residents.

"Boundless Horizons," Frequenz__​, Germany

A rediscovery of Lübeck’s Gothic heritage through a piece performed simultaneously on the organs of the city’s three churches and a collective sound installation created by its residents.

© Photo: Courtesy of Frequenz__

"LIVING REGIONAL NEWSPAPER": Residents and local minorities in the Zamagurie region are turning into community reporters and create documentary theatre from their own stories.

"LIVING REGIONAL NEWSPAPER," RAMAGU, Slovakia

Residents and local minorities in the Zamagurie region are turning into community reporters and create documentary theatre from their own stories.

© Photo: Courtesy of RAMAGU

"Safe Passage": A digital museum created thanks to the collaboration of refugees, disabled and non-disabled artists, accessible through artworks displayed across Europe.

"Safe Passage," THEAMA, Greece

A digital museum created thanks to the collaboration of refugees, disabled and non-disabled artists, accessible through artworks displayed across Europe.

© Photo: Courtesy of THEAMA

"Kino Susidiv (Films by Our Neighbors)": A Ukrainian film festival is collaborating with neighbouring European countries to train teenagers to become cultural ambassadors, particularly in regions affected by conflict.

"Kino Susidiv (Films by Our Neighbours)", Cinema and Culture Development, Ukraine

A Ukrainian film festival is collaborating with neighbouring European countries to train teenagers to become cultural ambassadors, particularly in regions affected by conflict.

© Photo: Courtesy of Cinema and Culture Development

"Classic for Kids": A music van tour introduces children at rural schools in Romania to classical music through hands-on music workshops.

"Classic for Kids", Classic Unlimited, Romania

A music van tour introduces children at rural schools in Romania to classical music through hands-on music workshops.

© Photo: Courtesy of Classic Unlimited

"TRACES": Three community groups from Northern Ireland have been invited to create a dance piece with professional artists, which will then be transformed into an immersive installation open to the public.

"TRACES," DU Dance (NI), United Kingdom

Three community groups from Northern Ireland have been invited to create a dance piece with professional artists, which will then be transformed into an immersive installation open to the public.

© Photo: KMPhoto

"RADIOACTIVITY": Radio programmes, created by prisoners in five prisons in collaboration with writers, playwrights and sound artists, are broadcast within the prisons and on national public radio.

"RADIOACTIVITY," TERCEIRA PESSOA, Portugal

Radio programmes, created by prisoners in five prisons in collaboration with writers, playwrights and sound artists, are broadcast within the prisons and on national public radio.

© Photo: Jorge Carmona

"Kristoffer's Journey": Children are invited to explore the great questions of the universe through a performance and an immersive experience, culminating in the creation of their own short film.

"Le voyage de Kristoffer", Ex Voto à la Lune, France

Children are invited to explore the great questions of the universe through a performance and an immersive experience, culminating in the creation of their own short film.

© Photo: Maxime Lethelier

"Dictionary of Secret Sounds": Deaf and hearing artists have come together to create a new form of lyrical expression in which signs, gestures and vibrations play just as much a part as the music, making opera accessible to everyone.

"Dictionary of Secret Sounds," L'Albero, Italy

Deaf and hearing artists have come together to create a new form of lyrical expression in which signs, gestures and vibrations play just as much a part as the music, making opera accessible to everyone.

© Photo: Action Collective

"Arte Ambulatorio": Turning the hospital into a museum with a Frida Kahlo exhibition for patients, families, carers and healthcare professionals.

"Arte Ambulatorio," Cultura en Vena, Spain

Turning the hospital into a museum with a Frida Kahlo exhibition for patients, families, carers and healthcare professionals.

© Photo: Action Collective

"River Elders": Senior citizens in the city of Sofia are invited to play an active role in contemporary art by creating works alongside professional artists, which will be showcased at the Rivers of Sofia 2027 festival.

"River Elders," The Collective Foundation, Bulgaria

Senior citizens in the city of Sofia are invited to play an active role in contemporary art by creating works alongside professional artists, which will be showcased at the Rivers of Sofia 2027 festival.

© Photo: Rivers of Sofia Festival, Sofia, Bulgaria, The Collective Foundation (Фондация Колективът). Photographer: Veliko Balabanov.

"ECHO": Children from rural schools in Corinthia are invited to rediscover their local area through its music and colours, alongside local musicians, artists and craftspeople.

"ECHO", Fondation Kaloy, Greece

Children from rural schools in Corinthia are invited to rediscover their local area through its music and colours, alongside local musicians, artists and craftspeople.

© Photo: Kaloy Foundation

"Community Storytellers - Lewisham Borough of Literature": Professional writers are training residents of the London borough of Lewisham to run writing workshops within their own community, with the aim of fostering a lasting interest in literature and writing.

"Community Storytellers - Lewisham Borough of Literature", London Writers Centre, United Kingdom

Professional writers are training residents of the London borough of Lewisham to run writing workshops within their own community, with the aim of fostering a lasting interest in literature and writing.

© Photo: Kashif Haque

"WHERE IS MY SHIPYARD?": Former shipyard workers and their children will work with professional artists to share stories, memories and artistic practices, culminating in a monumental site-specific performance piece.

"WHERE IS MY SHIPYARD?", Gdański Archipelag Kultury​, Poland

Former shipyard workers and their children will work with professional artists to share stories, memories and artistic practices, culminating in a monumental site-specific performance piece.

© Photo: Karol Stanczak

"The Travelling Universe: Royal Observatory on Tour": A nationwide programme led by artist Jeremy Deller that brings together astronomers and artists with the aim of making astronomy accessible to everyone.

"The Travelling Universe: Royal Observatory on Tour", Royal Observatory Greenwich​, United Kingdom

A nationwide programme led by artist Jeremy Deller that brings together astronomers and artists with the aim of making astronomy accessible to everyone.

© Photo: Courtesy of the Royal Observatory Greenwich

"Open Week": The Opera House will open its doors for a week-long programme suitable for all ages, created in collaboration with artists, audiences and local associations.

"Open Week," Opéra de Lille​, France

The Opera House will open its doors for a week-long programme suitable for all ages, created in collaboration with artists, audiences and local associations.

© Photo: Frédéric Iovino

"NewImages OnTour x TUMO": Young people from creative technology centres are invited to explore immersive and digital artworks before taking on the roles of facilitators, creators and programme organisers.

"NewImages OnTour x TUMO," NewImages, France

Young people from creative technology centres are invited to explore immersive and digital artworks before taking on the roles of facilitators, creators and programme organisers.

© Photo: TUMO Portugal

"L'autre retour" : Male and female veterans in Ukraine are supported through a literary and writing programme where creative work will become a travelling exhibition in Ukraine, France and at the European Commission in Brussels.

"L'autre retour", Bibliothèques Sans Frontières, France

Male and female veterans in Ukraine are supported through a literary and writing programme where creative work will become a travelling exhibition in Ukraine, France and at the European Commission in Brussels.

© Photo: Courtesy of Bibliothèques Sans Frontières

"States of Being: Embedding Accessible Practice and Building Representation": A new methodology transforming perceptions of who can dance through collaboration between disabled, non-disabled artists and audiences, then shared across European festivals.

"States of Being: Embedding Accessible Practice and Building Representation", FESTIVAL.ORG, United Kingdom

A new methodology transforming perceptions of who can dance through collaboration between disabled, non-disabled artists and audiences, then shared across European festivals.

© Photo: Chloe Loftus Dance and Greg D’Haillecourt