Following last year's successful Award programme, Converse and Dazed & Confused are now partnering with the Whitechapel Gallery to kick-off the second installment in their annual Emerging Artists Award. The Converse/Dazed 2011 Emerging Artists Award With the Whitechapel Gallery opens for submissions from now until 30th June, and will provide an invaluable platform for emerging artists, offering contenders a first prize of £6,000. The five shortlisted entrants will also have their own exhibition at a venue near the Whitechapel Gallery, and the closing party for the awards will take place during the Frieze Art Fair.

Once again, the award will be judged by a prestigious panel of art experts including – Kirsty Ogg, curator, Whitechapel Gallery, artist Eva Rothschild, gallerist Sadie Coles, gallery director Darren Flook, emerging curator Paul Pieroni, and Dazed & Confused’s visual arts editor, Francesca Gavin.

The competition is open to all UK-based artists under the age of 35 that are not represented by a gallery in the UK, and are not currently students at university or art school. Artists are invited to submit their most innovative and interesting work for the judges’ consideration through any possible medium - video, sculpture, performance and sound entries are all welcome. In total, there will be one overall winner who will receive a cash prize of £6,000 and five shortlisted artists who will receive £1,000. Both the shortlisted artists and the winner will have both their entry and their portfolio of work exhibited in September / October 2011 in a gallery situated close to the Whitechapel Gallery in east London.

Click HERE for more info on Converse's Emerging Artist Award