Launched to recognize the center’s 20th anniversary, the Vera List Center Prize for Art and Politics honors an artist or group of artists who has taken great risks to advance social justice in profound and visionary ways. International in scope, the biennial prize is awarded for a particular project’s long-term impact, boldness, and artistic excellence.

The prize initiative unfolds across various platforms and over an extended period of time. It serves as a catalyst for activities that illuminate the important role of the arts in society, and strengthen teaching and learning at The New School in art and design, social science, philosophy, and civic engagement. More than a single moment of recognition, it represents a long-term commitment to the question of how the arts advance social justice, how we speak of, evaluate and teach such work.

An exhibition of the winning project, a conference, integration into classes, and a publication featuring select nominated projects complement a cash award and short-term New York City residency for the honoree. In the spirit of the center’s twenty-year history, the prize provides the opportunity for an ongoing public conversation on art and social justice as a global issue that engages audiences in New York City, nationally and around the world.

In gratitude to Jane Lombard, whose generous donations to The Vera List Center make possible the continuation of the aforementioned efforts and initiatives, the Vera List Center Prize for Art and Politics was renamed The Jane Lombard Prize for Art and Social Justice, starting with the 2018–2020 biennial prize cycle.

The inaugural recipient was artist Theaster Gates for Dorchester Projects during the 2012–2014 cycle. The 2014–2016 prize was awarded to Abounaddara, an anonymous film based in Syria. Brazilian artist Maria Thereza Alves was awarded the 2016–2018 prize for Seeds of Change. The 2018–2020 prize was presented to the collective Chimurenga for their Pan-African Space Station. The 2020–2022 prize was awarded to Avni Sethi for Conflictorium, a museum based in Ahmedabad, India. Brisbane-based urban Aboriginal collective proppaNOW received the 2022–2024 prize for OCCURRENT AFFAIR.

The 2025–2027 Jane Lombard Prize recipient is Brazilian artist, educator, and researcher Rosana Paulino. Coinciding with the Vera List Center’s two-year research cycle Matter of Intelligence, Paulino is awarded the prize for the significance and impact of her 2016 artist book ¿História Natural?. Read the announcement, including jury statement, and more about Paulino here.

Along with the prize recipient, the finalists for the prize are named Jane Lombard Fellows, initiated during the 2018–2020 biennial prize cycle.

2025–2027 Jane Lombard Fellows:
ArTree Nepal for Tikā Chedna Angana (Kathmandu, Nepal)
Stephanie Dinkins for Conversations with Bina48 (New York, US)
Jason Edward Lewis for Abundant Intelligences (Montreal, Canada)
Jenna Sutela for nimiia cétiï (Berlin, Germany)

2022–2024 Jane Lombard Fellows:
Another Roadmap Africa Cluster for Another Roadmap School (Kampala, Nyanza, Lubumbashi, Kinshasa, Maseru, Johannesburg, Lagos, and Cairo)
Colectivo Cherani for the Cherán Cultural Center (Cherán, Michoacán, Mexico)
KUNCI Study Forum & Collective for the School of Improper Education (Yogyakarta, Indonesia)
Khalil Rabah for the Palestinian Museum of Natural Sciences and Humankind (Ramallah, Palestine)

2020–2022 Jane Lombard Fellows:
Jorge González for Escuela de Oficios (Puerto Rico)
NayanTara Gurung Kakshapati for Nepal Picture Library (Lalitpur, Nepal)
Emeka Okereke for Invisible Borders (Lagos, Nigeria, and elsewhere)
Underground Resistance for Submerge Project (Detroit, US)

2018–2020 Jane Lombard Fellows:
Emily Jacir, Annemarie Jacir, and Yusuf Nasri Jacir for Dar Yusuf Nasri Jacir for Art and Research
Liz Johnson Artur for the Black Balloon Archive
Tiffany Chung for the Vietnam Exodus Project
Naine Terena de Jesus for Oráculo
Jasmeen Patheja for Blank Noise

2016–2018 VLC Prize Finalists:
Forensic Architecture (London, UK)
Gulf Labor Artist Coalition (New York, US)
House of Natural Fiber (Yogyakarta, Indonesia)
IsumaTV (Canada)
MadeYouLook (Johannesburg, South Africa)

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Vera List Center Forum 2019: If Art is Politics

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