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From Aachen to Bielefeld, from Münster to Siegen, from the Rhine to the Ruhr: The art associations cannot be imagined without the cultural landscape in North Rhine-Westphalia. However, the importance of these civic initiatives for contemporary art is not reflected in the financial support of the associations. Necessarily, they usually manage the square of the circle: to put together a program with maximum impact on a minimal budget. Here, a new prize aims to help: The "Weststern Promotion Prize for NRW Art Associations," which will be awarded annually starting in 2025, is endowed with 90,000 euros. The award is the result of a private initiative: Jan Fischer, an entrepreneur working in mobility management from Ratingen, has partnered with the Berlin Leap Art Foundation to make life easier for the art associations. Leap director Bettina Böhm has multiple connections to the art associations in North Rhine-Westphalia as an art historian, collector, and native of Wuppertal. In an interview, Jan Fischer explains the background of this patronage. And he explains what he wants to achieve with the prize.
What triggered this initiative?
J.F.:
My two families of origin come from the Düsseldorf/Duisburg/Elberfeld area. We have a family business that has been based in the Düsseldorf/Ratingen region for 90 years. With the company’s anniversary, there was a desire to give something back to the federal state from which our highly committed employees come. Since I have been active in art promotion for many years, I wanted to strengthen the art sector in NRW. Specifically, where many people show great commitment to enrich the offering of art even outside the centers. This is exactly true for art associations.
Why did Bettina Böhm and you choose art associations – not museums, art halls, or other institutions that present contemporary art? And why the regional limitation to NRW?
J.F.:
Art associations are pure civic engagement. They are not subject to political supervision, manage themselves, and therefore often have to finance themselves. Currently, this requires increasing efforts. Many notable artists with partly international careers have emerged from the NRW art associations in recent years. But also well-known directors of public institutions. NRW art associations have a significant impact on the art landscape and are an integral part of the perception economy of the German art market. Sometimes they can even kickstart major careers and bring the audience into contact with great artists at an early stage in their careers.
The Weststern Promotion Award is awarded annually and is endowed with 90,000 euros. Is the prize money given to one association? Or is it split?
J.F.:
The prize is split. 40,000 euros go to an association that has shown the best program performance in the past year, 30,000 euros goes to the association with the best solo exhibition, and 20,000 euros go to one or more associations that have distinguished themselves through their outstanding mediation program.
What is the procedure? Can the art associations apply themselves? And when will the new Weststern Prize be awarded for the first time?
J.F.:
A five-member independent jury selects the winners at the end of a program year, which begins in September after the summer break and ends in June of the following year. The award ceremony for the first Weststern Prize will take place in August 2025 for the preceding year. After that, the award ceremony will be held annually at this time. Starting in September 2024, the NRW art associations are invited to apply.
