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Freedom to Create Prize
Official Website	http://www.freedomtocreateprize.com

Freedom to Create Prize is an annual, global prize that honours artists on the frontlines who promote social justice, build foundations for open societies and inspire the human spirit. Established in 2008, the Prize aims to “recognise artists who bring messages of hope to places of turmoil and despair.” The US$125,000 Prize is backed by Singapore-based private investment group Orient Global. Winners for the 2009 Freedom to Create Prize were announced on November 25th at The Victoria & Albert Museum in London.^[1]

Bianca Jagger, Founder and Chair of the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation, presented Mohsen Makhmalbaf, the celebrated Iranian filmmaker and official overseas spokesman for 2009 Iranian presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi, the award for the 2009 Freedom to Create Prize.

Mohsen Makhmalbaf has dedicated his award to Iran's Green Movement and its spiritual leader, Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri.

Commenting on his award, Makhmalbaf said, "People of my country (Iran) are killed, imprisoned, tortured and raped just for their votes. Each reward I receive gives me an opportunity to echo their voices across the world, asking for democracy for Iran and peace for the world. I would like to dedicate this very important prize to Mr Montazeri, one of the bravest voices in Iran. It is vital that we continue to talk about the quest for freedom and democracy for the Iranian people."

The Freedom to Create Youth Prize, presented by leading human rights lawyer and member of the Freedom to Create Prize judging panel Geoffrey Robertson QC, was awarded to Poimboi Veeyah Koindu (The Orphan Boys of Koindu).

Cameroonian singer Lapiro de Mbanga was awarded the Imprisoned Artist Prize. The award was presented by award winning documentary maker Nick Broomfield, and was collected on Lapiro’s behalf by Ole Reitov and Marie Korp of advocacy group Freemuse, his nominating party.

[edit] Background

Founder of the Prize and chairman of Orient Global, Richard Chandler, said: “The Freedom to Create Prize is the only award of its kind in the world. It celebrates the power of art to fight oppression, break down stereotypes and build trust in societies where the social fabric has been ripped apart by conflict, violence and misunderstanding. Of most importance, the Prize also celebrates the bravery of artists who pursue their craft despite great danger to themselves.”^[2]

According to Chandler, the Prize is the celebratory component of a broader Freedom to Create initiative that uses art to drive change and help build the foundations of creativity in broken societies. The official website of Freedom to Create states the initiative will be unveiled in 2010.

“We believe the Freedom to Create is a fundamental requirement of any thriving, prosperous society. Communities must be free from violence, oppression, disease, censorship and disenfranchisement in order for creative vitality to be stimulated and allowed to flourish. It is this creativity that drives prosperity and social change.”^[3]

[edit] Prize categories

There are three Prize categories which share the US$125,000 Prize fund.

[edit] Main Prize

The winners in this category share a prize pool of US$75,000. The first place prize of US$50,000 is split equally between the winner of the award, and an organisation nominated by them to further the cause that their work has highlighted. The second place prize of US$15,000 is similarly divided equally between the winner and their nominated organisation. The US$10,000 third place prize is shared the same way.

[edit] Youth Prize

This prize is open to artists under the age of 18. The US$25,000 prize is divided into two. The winner(s) receive US$10,000. The remaining US$15,000 is given to an organisation nominated by them to further the cause their artwork has highlighted.

[edit] Imprisoned Artist Prize

This prize focuses on artists who are imprisoned as a result of their art and its role in highlighting injustice. It differs slightly from the other categories, in that less emphasis is placed on the artist’s work and more on the personal risks incurred by them, the message conveyed through their work and its impact. A single prize of US$25,000 is directed towards securing the artist’s release, advocating on behalf of them and their cause and offering support to their family.

[edit] Entry Process

All artists from any creative field are invited to participate. Nominations by an advocate, or by the artist themselves, is done online. Artwork is assessed on its ability to accomplish one or all of the following: Promote social justice, build the foundations for an open society, and inspire the human spirit. While the quality of the artwork entered is considered, it is not a defining criteria. Rather, more weight is given to the impact of the art on achieving the Prize’s mission.

[edit] 2009 Freedom to Create Prize

The shortlisted artists for the 2009 Freedom to Create Prize were announced on 26 October 2009. In total, there were 1,015 artists from more than 100 countries.

[edit] 2009 Judging Panel

The 2009 Freedom to Create Prize is judged by a panel of high-profile artists, opinion formers, and human rights experts. They are: leading international human rights lawyer and jurist on the UN’s Internal Justice Council Geoffrey Robertson QC; composer and founder of West-Eastern Divan Orchestra Daniel Barenboim; co-founder, along with Koffi Annan, of global diplomatic group, The Global Elders, and founder of Indian women and micro-finance movements Dr Ela Bhatt; BBC arts correspondent Razia Iqbal; Time Out founder and chair of Human Rights Watch Tony Elliott; award-winning Anglo-Indian artist Sacha Jafri; New York-based arts lawyer Peter Stern; artist and philanthropist Ana Tzarev; and Zimbabwean playwright Cont Mhlanga^[4], winner of the inaugural Freedom to Create Prize in 2008.

[edit] 2009 Main Prize Winners

[edit] First Prize

Celebrated Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf^[5] has dedicated his craft to highlighting social justice issues both in his native Iran and in neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan. He has also established a film school to foster a new generation of Iranian filmmakers and has established NGOs in Afghanistan.

[edit] Second Prize

Burmese refugee women’s group, The Kumjing Storytellers, use giant papier maché dolls in an installation piece designed to represent their stories of ethnic persecution in Burma and the plight of migrants and refugees from around the world.

[edit] Third Prize

Afghan female artist Sheenkai Alam Stanikzai uses video performance, installation art and photography to tackle the subjugation and violent persecution of women in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries.

[edit] Other Finalists

Former war photographer Karim Ben Khelifa draws on his experience and skill to create images which redefine and humanize the current conflict between Palestine and Israel.

Born in a refugee camp in Western Sahara, Aziza Brahim is a musician whose songs have been outlawed in Morocco for championing the human rights of the Saharawi refugees in one of the world’s least-understood conflicts.

[edit] 2009 Youth Prize Winner

Poimboi Veeyah Koindu (The Orphan Boys of Koindu), is a performance group made up of former child soldiers from Sierra Leone’s civil war. They use the power of dance and music not only to heal themselves, but to seek forgiveness and acceptance from their communities.

[edit] Other Finalists

The AOS Angels Performance Troupe are a group of HIV-infected children and AIDS orphans living in China who have used painting to express the isolation they experience every day.

Dance group Genesis:Sarajevo is comprised of nine girls from Bosniak and Croat backgrounds living in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Using the city of Sarajevo as their stage, the girls perform against the backdrop of culturally relevant sites, such as a Catholic church or Islamic fountain, to heal their fractured communities and express their hope for a peaceful future.

Super Buddies Club in Swaziland has nominated 15 of their group who during their school holidays, wrote and performed a play empowering child victims of sexual abuse to speak out and seek help. Sexual abuse is one of the drivers of the spread of HIV in a country where 43% of the population lives with the disease.

The Zugdidi Shalva Dadiani State Drama Theatre in Georgia, has brought together the region’s refugee children to perform on the Abkhazian-Georgian border in the neutral zone on Enguri Bridge in a powerful work called Peace Podium.

[edit] 2009 Imprisoned Artist Prize Winner

In September, Cameroonian singer Lapiro de Mbanga^[6] was jailed for three years after his song Constitution Constipeé became a rallying anthem for nation-wide protests over recent constitutional amendments.^[7]

[edit] Other Finalists

On 21 June, Iranian filmmaker, playwright and journalist Maziar Bahari was arrested and charged with attempting to overthrow the government following the disputed presidential elections. He was released on bail on 17 October after pressure from international human rights and media groups.^[8]

Nationally celebrated Burmese poet and installation artist Saw Wei was jailed for two years in November 2008 for publishing a love poem which contained a code criticizing the leader of the Junta.^[9]

2009 Freedom to Create Awards Reception

Bianca Jagger with Mohsen Makhmalbaf, winner of the 2009 Freedom to Create Prize. Photo courtesy of Freedom to Create.

Geoffrey Robertson QC awarding the Freedom to Create Youth Prize. Photo courtesy of Freedom to Create.

L to R - David Allan Harris (Poimboi Veeyah Koindu), winners of the Freedom to Create Youth Prize, with Ole Reitov and Marie Korpe from FreeMuse on behalf of Lapiro de Mbanga, winner of the Freedom to Create Imprisoned Artist Prize and Mohsen Makhmalbaf. Photo courtesy of Freedom to Create.

[edit] 2008 Freedom to Create Prize

The inaugural Freedom to Create Prize attracted more than 900 entries from 86 countries. The 2008 award was judged by a panel of artists, commentators and human rights experts including Andrew Dickson, Htein Lin, Carlos Reyes-Manzo and Ana Tzarev.

The winner of the 2008 Prize was Cont Mhlanga, a controversial Zimbabwean playwright who has risked his life challenging the Mugabe dictatorship for more than 25 years. His winning submission was a politically charged satire called 'The Good President' that presents a fictionalised account of a ruthless dictator, but closely mirrors recent events in Zimbabwe. In second place was the Belarus Free Theatre's "Campaign Stop Violence", a four-play production that confronts the truth about government by standing up to censorship and repression. Deeyah, a Pakistani-Norwegian singer and human rights activist came in third.

The 2008 The Youth Prize was awarded to City of Rhyme, a 14-strong Hip Hop collective from the Brazilian favelas. The Imprisoned Artist Prize winner was Burmese satirist Zarganar, who is serving a 35 years for mocking the Burmese government in the wake of Cyclone Nargis.

[edit] Reaction

Presenting an award at the 2008 ceremony in London, renowned playwright Sir Tom Stoppard said, "My participation in the Freedom to Create Prize was my first contact with this truly admirable enterprise. It is important that abuses of human rights are attacked from all sides of every free society."

[edit] Freedom to Create Prize exhibition

The official website states the organisers will hold an international exhibition featuring highlighted artists from the 2009 Freedom to Create Prize in New York, February 2010.