Outstanding Artist Award
The outstanding artist award for experimental fashion design is awarded by the Federal Ministry for Housing, Arts, Culture, Media and Sport.
Annually, it honors designers who can present a significant body of work and whose creations hold artistic importance beyond regional boundaries.
The conceptual approach should reflect a conscious engagement with contemporary fashion design issues and take a pioneering artistic and cultural stance. Independence in theme, aesthetics, and concept is particularly important. The winner’s contribution to the cultural creation of the country is crucial for anchoring contemporary fashion design in the awareness of the Austrian cultural landscape.
Next Open Call:
26
Feb
2025
Call for applications
06
May
2025
Deadline
Prize Money
EUR 10,000,-
Consultation & Inquiries
Dalma Monori
+43 660 440 0027
Partner
Funded talents
outstanding artist award for experimental fashion design
2024
AFA Support international focus
2022
2019
Fashion Award of the City of Vienna
2020
outstanding artist award for experimental fashion design
2023
outstanding artist award for experimental fashion design
2021
outstanding artist award for experimental fashion design
2022
Who can apply for the outstanding artist award?
- The outstanding artist award is aimed at designers who work in the fields of Ready-to-Wear, Couture, and/or Accessories, and whose work has already gained international recognition.
- Applicants should have a significant body of work that has been internationally acknowledged.
- Applicants must have presented at least six collections publicly (not as part of their education). Public presentations include trade fair or festival participations, showroom or atelier presentations, exhibition participations, performances, etc.
- The collections must be commercially available, and publications in industry magazines must be provided.
- Primary eligibility is for individual fashion professionals with Austrian citizenship. Foreign nationals are also eligible if they have had their primary residence and center of life interests in Austria for at least three years.
Yes, an application for the outstanding artist award can be submitted in the same funding year as for AFA Support or the Start Scholarship for Fashion.
No, the outstanding artist award can only be awarded once per person.
- Lookbooks
- Any already (partially) completed application documents
- Specific questions
The award is decided by an internationally composed, independent expert jury, with a representative from the BMKÖS and the Austrian Fashion Association present. Based on the first evaluation round, two to four designers are shortlisted. They are then invited to a hearing during the jury session to present themselves and their label. The winner of the outstanding artist award will be publicly announced during the Austrian Fashion Awards and the official awarding ceremony of the BMKÖS.
The jury’s reasoning and recommendations will be documented. In case of a rejection, the AFA can provide verbal feedback to the applicant upon request regarding the jury’s decision. Due to the consistently high number of submissions, detailed feedback is not possible. Separate consultation appointments with the AFA team can be arranged throughout the year.
The jury session will take place in June. The results will be announced by email no later than early July.
„The outstanding artist award was a great recognition of our work by the Austrian government and has encouraged us in our path!“
Wendy Jim