The Freedom to Create Prize was established in 2008 to foster prosperity in the developing world by investing in the creative foundations of society. The Freedom to Create Prize was awarded from 2008 to 2011 to support and recognise artists who strive for social change in places where there is no "freedom to create".

Freedom to Create Prize

The Freedom to Create Prize celebrates the power of art to promote social justice and inspire the human spirit. The Prize is open to artists in all creative fields. Artwork is assessed on its ability to accomplish one or all of the following: promote social justice, build societal foundations, and inspire the human spirit. Each year, US$125,000 in prize money is awarded across three categories: Main, Youth and Imprisoned Artist.

2011 Freedom to Create Prize

Winners were announced in an award ceremony and concert at the

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden Kirstenbosch is a botanical garden nestled at the eastern foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town. The garden is one of 10 National Botanical Gardens covering five of South Africa's six different biomes and administered by the South African Natio ...

in Cape Town, South Africa on 19 November 2011. Myanmar's pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

Aung San Suu Kyi Aung San Suu Kyi (born 19 June 1945) is a Burmese politician, diplomat, author, and political activist. She was awarded the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize. She served as State Counsellor of Myanmar and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Myanmar), Ministe ...

recorded a special message congratulating Imprisoned Artist Prize winner Win Maw.

Judging Panel

Judges for the 2011 Freedom to Create Prize included: 2010 Freedom to Create Prize winner and Sudanese theatre producer Ali Mahdi Nouri; Thai filmmaker

Apichatpong Weerasethakul Apichatpong Weerasethakul (; ; , born 16 July 1970) is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, film producer and Professor at Tama Art University in Tokyo. Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, Apichatpong h ...

; South African writer

Achmat Dangor Achmat Dangor (2 October 1948 – 6 September 2020) was a South African writer, poet, and development professional. His most important works include the novels ''Kafka's Curse'' (1997) and '' Bitter Fruit'' (2001). He was also the author of thre ...

; Croatian born painter Ana Tzarev; Egyptian human rights activist Dalia Ziada; American film actress

Daryl Hannah Daryl Hannah (born December 3, 1960) is an American actress and environmental activist. She made her film debut in Brian De Palma's supernatural horror film ''The Fury (1978 film), The Fury'' (1978). She has starred in various films across the ...

; celebrated street artist

D*Face Dean Stockton, better known by his alias D*Face, is an English multimedia street artist who uses spray paint, stickers, posters, and stencils. D*Face grew up in London and had a childhood interest in graffiti in drawing. He credits this to Henry ...

; Pakistani poet, journalist and social activist

Fatima Bhutto Fatima Bhutto (; , born 29 May 1982) is a Pakistani writer and columnist. Born in Kabul, she is the daughter of politician Murtaza Bhutto, sister of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Jr, niece of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and granddaugh ...

; philosopher, cultural theorist, and novelist

Kwame Anthony Appiah Kwame Akroma-Ampim Kusi Anthony Appiah ( ; born 8 May 1954) is an English-American philosopher and writer who has written about political philosophy, ethics, the philosophy of language and mind, and African intellectual history. Appiah is Prof ...

; author

Salman Rushdie Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie ( ; born 19 June 1947) is an Indian-born British and American novelist. His work often combines magic realism with historical fiction and primarily deals with connections, disruptions, and migrations between Eastern wor ...

; Professor

Lourdes Arizpe María de Lourdes Arizpe Schlosser (b. 1945, Mexico), habitually cited as Lourdes Arizpe, is a professor in anthropology. In 1964, she obtained a Certificate in French Studies from the University of Geneva; in 1965, she studied history at the ...

; dancer and actor

Mikhail Baryshnikov Mikhail Nikolayevich Baryshnikov ( rus, Михаил Николаевич Барышников, p=mʲɪxɐˈil bɐ'rɨʂnʲɪkəf; ; born January 27, 1948) is a Latvian and American dancer, choreographer, and actor. He was the preeminent male ...

; award-winning filmmaker and producer

Mira Nair Mira Nair (born 15 October 1957) is an Indian-American filmmaker based in New York City. Her production company is Mirabai Films. Among her films are '' Mississippi Masala'', '' The Namesake'', the Golden Lion–winning '' Monsoon Wedding'', ...

; writer and curator Sarah Lewis; and authority on the development of creativity, innovation and human resources,

Sir Ken Robinson Sir Kenneth Robinson (4 March 1950 – 21 August 2020) was a British author, speaker and international advisor on education in the arts to government, non-profits, education and arts bodies. He was director of the Arts in Schools Project ( ...

Main Prize Category

Imprisoned Artist Prize

2010 Freedom to Create Prize

Over 1,700 artists from 127 countries participated in the 2010 Freedom to Create Prize. Winners were announced in a ceremony at the Salah El Din Citadel in Cairo, Egypt on 26 November 2010.

Judging Panel

This year's judging panel comprised 13 individuals from a broad range of expertise. They are: Egypt's former first lady and human rights campaigner Mrs Jehan Sedat; Pakistani poet, journalist and social activist,

; prominent theorist on Critical Race theory and professor at

UCLA School of Law The University of California, Los Angeles School of Law (commonly known as UCLA School of Law or UCLA Law) is the law school of the University of California, Los Angeles. History Founded in 1949, the UCLA School of Law is the third oldest of t ...

and Columbia Law School Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw; celebrated street artist

; non-executive director at the UK Financial Services Authority, Professor Dame Sandra Dawson OBE; 2009 Freedom to Create Prize winner and acclaimed Iranian filmmaker

Mohsen Makhmalbaf Mohsen Makhmalbaf (, ) (born May 29, 1957) is an Iranian film director, writer, film editor, and producer. He has made more than 20 feature films, won 50 awards, and served as a juror in more than 15 major film festivals. His award-winning films ...

; award-winning filmmaker and producer

; journalist and author

Mariane Pearl Mariane van Neyenhoff Pearl (born 23 July 1967) is a French freelance journalist and a former reporter and columnist for '' Glamour'' magazine. She is the widow of Daniel Pearl, an American journalist who was the South Asia Bureau Chief for ''The ...

; Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at the Oxford University, Professor

Tariq Ramadan Tariq Ramadan (, ; born 26 August 1962) is a Swiss Muslim academic, philosopher and writer. He was a professor of contemporary Islamic studies at St Antony's College, Oxford and the Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Oxford, He is ...

; leading human rights lawyer

Geoffrey Robertson QC Geoffrey Ronald Robertson (born 30 September 1946) is an Australian-British barrister, academic, author and broadcaster. Robertson is a founder and joint head of Doughty Street Chambers. He serves as a Master of the Bench at the Middle Tem ...

; authority on the development of creativity, innovation and human resources, Sir Ken Robinson; former diplomat and lecturer on cultural diplomacy, Professor Cynthia P. Schneider; and Croatian born artist Ana Tzarev.

Reaction

2010 Freedom to Create Prize panelist and former First Lady of Egypt,

Jehan Sadat Jehan Sadat (, ; ; 29 August 1933 – 9 July 2021) was an Egyptian human rights activist and the First Lady of Egypt, as the wife of Anwar Sadat, from 1970 until her husband's assassination in 1981. As Egypt's first lady, she greatly influenc ...

, said: "The artists who have been selected as finalists in this year's Freedom to Create competition know full well the price they are paying to express their ideas, hopes, and dreams for their people and their nations. They have endured harsh criticisms, and in some cases, have placed themselves in grave danger. As a result, they have done more than expose the ills plaguing their societies. They have provided solutions and alternatives, and by so doing, they are trying to change the world. Each exemplifies the power of art, music, and the written word."

Main Prize Category

Youth Prize Category

Imprisoned Artist Prize Category

2009 Freedom to Create Prize

The shortlisted artists for the 2009 Freedom to Create Prize were announced on 26 October 2009. In total, there were 1,015 artists from more than 100 countries.

Judging Panel

The 2009 Freedom to Create Prize was judged by a panel of high-profile artists, opinion formers, and human rights experts. They were: leading international human rights lawyer and jurist on the UN's Internal Justice Council

; composer and founder of West-Eastern Divan Orchestra

Daniel Barenboim Daniel Moses Barenboim (; born 15 November 1942) is an Argentines, Argentine-Israeli classical pianist and conductor based in Berlin, who also has Spain, Spanish and State of Palestine, Palestinian citizenship. From 1992 until January 2023, Bare ...

; co-founder, along with

Kofi Annan Kofi Atta Annan (8 April 193818 August 2018) was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. He was the founder a ...

, of global diplomatic group, The Global Elders, and founder of Indian women and micro-finance movements Dr

Ela Bhatt Ela Ramesh Bhatt (7 September 1933 – 2 November 2022) was an Indian cooperative organiser, activist and Gandhian, who founded the Self-Employed Women's Association of India (SEWA) in 1972, and served as its general secretary from 1972 to 199 ...

; BBC arts correspondent Razia Iqbal; Time Out founder and chair of

Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Headquartered in New York City, the group investigates and reports on issues including War crime, war crimes, crim ...

Tony Elliott; award-winning Anglo-Indian artist

Sacha Jafri Sacha Jafri (born 3 January 1977 in United Kingdom) is a British artist known for creating the world's largest painting on canvas, ''Journey of Humanity'' (as recognised by ''Guinness World Records'') over seven months in 2020 during the COVID-1 ...

; New York-based arts lawyer Peter Stern; artist Ana Tzarev; and Zimbabwean playwright

Cont Mhlanga Cont Mdladla Mhlanga (1957/1958 – 1 August 2022) was a Zimbabwean playwright, actor, and theatre director. He was also the founder and head of the Amakhosi Theatre Productions company, formed in 1982. Mhlanga was a critic of the government o ...

, winner of the inaugural Freedom to Create Prize in 2008.

Main Prize Category

Youth Prize Category

Imprisoned Artist Prize Category

2008 Freedom to Create Prize

Results and judging panel

The inaugural Freedom to Create Prize attracted more than 900 entries from 86 countries. The 2008 award was judged by a panel of artists, commentators and human rights experts including Andrew Dickson,

Htein Lin Htein Lin (, ; born 31 December 1966) is a Burmese painter, performance artist, and activist.Curriculum Vitae

, Carlos Reyes-Manzo and Ana Tzarev.

Reaction

Presenting an award at the 2008 ceremony in London, renowned playwright Sir

Tom Stoppard Sir Tom Stoppard (; born , 3 July 1937) is a Czech-born British playwright and screenwriter. He has written for film, radio, stage, and television, finding prominence with plays. His work covers the themes of human rights, censorship, and politi ...

said, "My participation in the Freedom to Create Prize was my first contact with this truly admirable enterprise. It is important that abuses of human rights are attacked from all sides of every free society."

Freedom to Create Prize Exhibition

The Freedom to Create Prize Exhibition was a yearly travelling exhibition of notable entries from that year's Freedom to Create Prize. The 2009, 2010, and 2011 Prize Exhibitions were held in various cities around the world, including

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

Harare Harare ( ), formerly Salisbury, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Zimbabwe. The city proper has an area of , a population of 1,849,600 as of the 2022 Zimbabwe census, 2022 census and an estimated 2,487,209 people in its metrop ...

Kabul Kabul is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. Located in the eastern half of the country, it is also a municipality, forming part of the Kabul Province. The city is divided for administration into #Districts, 22 municipal districts. A ...

Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...

, and

Xiamen Xiamen,), also known as Amoy ( ; from the Zhangzhou Hokkien pronunciation, zh, c=, s=, t=, p=, poj=Ē͘-mûi, historically romanized as Amoy, is a sub-provincial city in southeastern Fujian, People's Republic of China, beside the Taiwan Stra ...

Freedom to Create Forum

In 2010, Freedom to Create launched a new initiative, the Freedom to Create Forum. The forum was a series of panel discussions which aimed to debate the challenges and opportunities for women in building creative and prosperous lives, families and communities.2010 Freedom to Create Prize Forum
'freedomtocreate.com' The inaugural forum was held on 24 November 2010, at the

American University in Cairo The American University in Cairo (AUC; ) is a private research university in New Cairo, Egypt. The university offers American-style learning programs at undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels, along with a continuing education program. ...

. The panel featured guest of honour and 2010 Prize judge Jehan Sedat, moderator and international broadcaster

Femi Oke Femi Oke ( ; born 30 June 1966) is a British television presenter and journalist. Early life and education Femi Oke was born in London, England, to Nigerian parents of the Yoruba ethnic group. She is a graduate of Birmingham University, where ...

and was accompanied by

, Dalia Ziada, Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw and Dianne Laurance. It focused on the misuse of traditional, cultural, and religious dogmas that hinder opportunities for women. There were two Freedom to Create Forums held in 2011. The first was held in New York, featuring a discussion on female entrepreneurship and empowerment in developing countries. The panel featured Mary Ellen Iskenderian, Francine LeFrak,

Lauren Bush Lauren Bush Lauren (born Lauren Pierce Bush, June 25, 1984) is an American businesswoman who is the CEO and co-founder of FEED Projects. She is also known for her previous career as a fashion model and designer. She is the daughter of Neil B ...

, and moderator Femi Oke. The second Forum was held in Cape Town, featuring women who have challenged structures keeping women vulnerable in their communities. The panel included keynote speaker

Graça Machel Graça Machel (; ; born 17 October 1945) is a Mozambique, Mozambican politician and humanitarian. Machel is an international advocate for women's and children's rights and was made an honorary Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire ...

, panelists

Unity Dow Unity Dow ( Diswai; born 23 April 1959) is a Motswana lawyer, author, human rights activist and Member of Parliament for Kgatleng West since November 2024. She formerly served as a judge on the High Court of Botswana and in various Botswa ...

, Chouchou Namegabe, and

Molly Melching Molly Melching is the founder and Creative Director of the Tostan Community Empowerment Program (CEP). Tostan (meaning "breakthrough" in the Wolof language) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) headquartered in Dakar, Senegal whose mission ...

, and moderator

Gcina Mhlophe Mhlophe (born 24 October 1958), known as Gcina Mhlophe, is a South African storyteller, writer, playwright, and actress. In 2016, she was listed as one of BBC's 100 Women. She tells her stories in four of South Africa's languages: English, Afr ...

Sources

Freedom to Create Prize 2009 Winner's Announcement:
Iranian director, opposition campaigner wins award
'Reuters'
Iran should face smarter sanctions, says Mohsen Makhmalbaf
'Guardian'
Iranian filmmaker collects prize
'Channel4'

'Telegraph'

'New York Times'

'Al Jazeera'
Makhmalbaf: back democracy in Iran
'Guardian' Freedom to Create Prize 2009 Shortlisted Artists' Announcement:
Iran director, Saharan singer up for prize
'Saudi Gazette'
Freedom to Create Prize Announces Finalists
'Newstin'
Freedom to Create Prize Announces Finalists
'USA Today'

'Yahoo Entretenimiento'

'Payvand.com'

'International Business Times'
Iranian Director, Journalist Up for Social Justice Prize
'Washington TV'
Iran director, Saharan singer up for prize
'Yahoo - India News'
Iran director, Saharan singer up for prize
'Insing.com' Selected coverage from 2009 Freedom to Create Launch:
Cont Mhlanga talks about writing against the backdrop of Robert Mugabe's regime
'Guardian'
Letter from Africa, 'When you tell a joke in the street, that is political'
'BBC' Selected coverage from Freedom to Create Prize 2008:

'BBC'
Arts & Free Expression in Zimbabwe
'Guardian'

'New York Times'

References

External links

Freedom to Create website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Freedom To Create Prize Arts awards