Chanel’s Culture Fund has announced a new group of “Next Prize” recipients, giving 10 artists across visual art, performance, film, design, and music 100,000 euros each to push ambitious, boundary‑breaking projects in ArtAsiaPacific’s weekly news roundup. The award is explicitly aimed at people who are already bending culture—dancers choreographing for stadium tours, filmmakers straddling gallery and streaming spaces, designers treating clothing as installation. Winners also get access to mentorship and institutional support, not just a one‑off check.
@chanelofficial Introducing IRL/url, a new TikTok documentary series from CHANEL Culture Fund and Art21. This series spotlights eight artists pushing the boundaries of digital technology. Sara Cwynar Rachel Rossin Xin Liu Ho Tzu Nyen Jacolby Satterwhite Neïl Beloufa Julien Creuzet Jacky Connolly Episodes drop weekly across @Art21’s channels. #CHANELCultureFund #Art21 #IRLurl
♬ original sound - ChanelOfficial
The Next Prize is part of a broader shift where luxury houses aren’t just sponsoring galas but acting like full‑blown arts patrons. In Chanel’s case, the fund extends from museums to grassroots initiatives, helping underwrite everything from experimental theatre to public‑space interventions tied to climate and community. For artists, landing on the list means their work is being read as not just aesthetically interesting, but strategically important to where culture is headed.
The move also reinforces how tightly fashion and art scenes are now intertwined. A Chanel‑backed performance can ricochet from a black‑box theater to TikTok to runway mood boards in a matter of weeks. By placing big bets on a small group of creators, the brand isn’t just polishing its image—it’s helping decide which ideas get a shot at global visibility in the first place.
