On April 10, Köler Prize makes its long-awaited return, marking the opening of EKKM’s jubilee season. Established by EKKM in 2011, the award recognises outstanding artists on the local art scene. The nominees for the 2026 Köler Prize are Anna Mari Liivrand, Darja Popolitova, Hanna Samoson, Keiu Maasik, and Taavi Suisalu. The Köler Prize exhibition opens on April 10 at 19 and will remain open until July 5, 2026.
“The last Köler Prize took place in 2018; after which the award has been on hold due to difficult circumstances. However, culture, together with art and artists, still needs attention and support in today’s fragile world, maybe even more so. The Köler Prize is able to offer this thanks to art-friendly private supporters who consider it important to sustain culture even in challenging times,” says Kadi Kesküla, administrative manager of EKKM.
In 2026, the €15,000 main prize is sponsored by the indie video game studio ZA/UM, which emerged from the Estonian cultural field, together with its fashion division ZA/UM Atelier. The €5,000 Audience Award is supported by the long-time patron of culture, the law firm COBALT. Visitors can also contribute to the Audience Award fund; contributors will be entered into a raffle to win theatre tickets to performances by Von Krahl and Expedition, as well as special prizes from ZA/UM and COBALT.
The jury for the 2026 award includes Greek curator and art historian Panos Giannikopoulos; Monika Lipšic, curator of the Rupert Residency and Public Programme; curator and artistic director of PUBLICS Paul O’Neill; and the previous Köler Prize (2018) main prize winners, Tanja Muravskaja and Anna Škodenko.
The large-scale exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue compiled by art historian and critic Andreas Trossek and designed by EKKM’s 2026 graphic designer Rasmus Einman.
Also returning is the film introducing the nominees’ work, Screen Tests for Köler Prize 2026, directed by Piibe Kolka and produced by Brigit Arop. The film premieres on April 24 at 20 at Cinema Sõprus.
A grand awards gala will take place on June 12, where the recipient of the Köler Prize main prize and the Audience Award will be announced. The gala is staged by artists Katariin Mudist and Keithy Kuuspu.
Köler Prize project is supported by: ZA/UM, COBALT, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Estonian Ministry of Culture, City of Tallinn, Akzo Nobel, Punch Club OÜ, Von Krahl Theatre and Expedition.