The award is open to talent below the age of 35 and will be rewarded in the categories: essay, review and innovative critic. In addition to the cash prize in each category, the winners are offered a personal mentor who will guide them a intensively for a year, helping them in making choices and realizing new critical work. In addition practical beneficiaries are provided by partners of the award: realized in a residency, masterclass, working space or a specific writing assignment. The winning texts will be published in collaboration with the media partners.
In 2020, the essay award went to Luuk Vulkers and the review award to Esmee Postma. Furthermore, Dagmar Dirkx (Brussels) received an commission for a text for the Prix de Rome 2021, Nadia de Vries (Amsterdam) a writing assignment for Metropolis M and Zippora Elders (Amsterdam/Berlin) a coaching trajectory of De Nieuwe Garde. Her winning essay will also be published by rekto:verso. Claire van der Mee’s essay will be published on the AICA International website. In 2018, Noortje de Leij won the award in the category Essay and Jorne Vriens in the category Review. The newly introduced Prize for Innovative Art Critical Practices went to Boris Van den Eynden. In 2016 Laurie Cluitmans (Essay) and Brenda Tempelaar (Review) were awarded. In 2014 Sarah Késenne (Essay) and Laurens Otto (Review). In 2012 Roos van der Lint (Essay), Joke de Wolf (Review) and Marieke Ladru (Internet Critic) were the winners of the award. In 2010 the winners were Thijs Lijster (Essay) and Lynne van Rhijn (Review). And in 2008 Christophe van Gerrewey was awarded for both his essay as for his review.
The Prijs voor de Jonge Kunstkritiek is an initiative of the Mondriaan Fund, de Appel Amsterdam, Kunstinstituut Melly, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Van Abbemuseum Eindhoven, M Leuven, Vlaams Cultuurhuis de Brakke Grond, Mu.ZEE en Z33 Huis voor Actuele Kunst, Design & Architecture. With the award they want to invest in a future of a high-end art discourse that – without the loss of quality – will also be available to readers with less expertise concerning the subject. The award will be supported by the following (media)partners: De Groene Amsterdammer, Knack, H_ART, Metropolis M, Recto:Verso, Tubelight, AICA Nederland, Domein voor Kunstkritiek and De Nieuwe Garde.