BE OPEN Art Recognizes Central Europe Regional Art Contest Winners
BE OPEN Art has announced the winners of its Central Europe regional art competition. Marie Bokova won the main prize, with four other artists receiving honorable mentions.
BE OPEN Art announced on September 27, 2026, the recipients of its Central Europe regional art competition awards. Now in its fourth year, the competition aims to support emerging artists whose work reflects their regional, cultural, and ethnic identities.
Running from May to August 2026, the competition showcased emerging art from ten Central European countries, featuring twenty artists from each nation. A public vote determined a monthly regional winner.
The final selection was made by a jury comprising Michal Novotný, Director of the Collection of Modern and Contemporary Art at the National Gallery Prague; Branka Bencic, Director of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MoMCA) in Rijeka, Croatia; and Olga Butinar Čeh, curator at the Slovenian Association of Fine Arts Societies (ZDSLU).
Marie Bokova from the Czech Republic was awarded the title of Artist of the Region and a €500 grant for her ceramic and porcelain studies. Her work explores the relationship between human stories and the natural world. Honorable mentions went to Bogdana Peric Milenkovic (Serbia), Helena Mirich (Croatia), and Lorena Iavorschi (Romania). Elena Baturina also personally selected painter Ester Nemjo for an award.
BE OPEN Art continues its mission to support emerging artists globally. The competition is set to expand to East Asia in 2026.