Curaçao, Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Maarten to share their interpretation of the theme: “How does culture live in your community?”
Starting Monday, February 23, 2026, artists from all disciplines are invited to submit original works that capture the cultural heritage and lived experience of their island. The competition is open to a wide range of creative fields, including visual arts, music, theater, dance, literature, poetry, film, culinary arts, photography, digital media, and transdisciplinary projects.
Jorien Wuite, Director of Lemonade B.V., emphasized that culture and heritage do not exist only in museums but are alive in everyday life — in neighborhoods, kitchens, festivals, and daily experiences.
“This award highlights the essence of the project’s title, because it invites artists and creatives to express how culture lives on their island in their own creative way,” Wuite stated.
Research conducted under the Where Culture Lives project shows that artistic expression is one of the primary ways knowledge about cultural life in the region is generated and documented. Artistic works connect the past with the present and help tell important community stories.
The research team — Ludmila Duncan, Gregory T. E. Richardson, Elton Villarreal, and Jorien Wuite — considers this award highly significant. They believe the initiative will deepen understanding of cultural research findings by involving community-based interactive sessions across all participating islands in April 2026.
The project also aims to increase visibility for Dutch Caribbean Artists and strengthen the position of Caribbean art and culture. Award winners will be announced during these interactive community sessions.
Prize Structure:
-
1st Place: $500
-
2nd Place: $250
-
3rd Place: $125
The submission process is simple and open to anyone residing on one of the Dutch Caribbean islands.
Participants must submit an original work — such as a painting, song, poem, short story, or video — between February 23 and March 25, 2026 via email to:
whereculturelivesproject@gmail.com
Submissions must include:
-
Full name
-
Island of residence
-
Title of the work
-
Artistic discipline
-
Short description explaining the meaning of the work and its connection to the theme
-
Contact information (email, phone number, WhatsApp)
Works may be submitted as files or download links (WeTransfer and Google Drive are accepted). Participants must grant permission for their work to be used for informational purposes within the project. Submissions are accepted in any language.
The jury will evaluate entries starting March 26, 2026, and winners will be announced in April 2026.
The Where Culture Lives project is an initiative of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands and Bonaire (OCW and OCW-CG), executed by Lemonade B.V., operating from St. Maarten.
For further information, interested participants can contact:
-
Gregory Richardson at gregory.te.richardson@gmail.com
-
Liesje Proveyer at Proveyerliesje@gmail.com
This open call represents an important opportunity for Dutch Caribbean Artists to showcase how culture truly lives within their communities.
