Since its very first edition, RAD Art Fair has integrated a prize system as a way to directly support the artistic ecosystem and contribute to the continuity of artists’ practices beyond the four days of the fair. Each year, we invite an expanding network of partners—from private companies and collectors to institutions and public museums —to offer a variety of prizes that extend the visibility and impact of the participating artists.
These prizes take different forms: acquisition prizes awarded by private or public collections, invitations to artist residencies, and opportunities for further exhibition. Among them, the Be RAD Prize is awarded to a young gallery and comes with a guaranteed spot in the following edition of the fair.
More than a gesture of recognition, these prizes are a way to foster long-term engagement with the work of emerging and mid-career artists, encouraging collaboration between galleries, institutions, and artists while nurturing the local scene’s presence within a broader international context.
Prizes
Hotel Caro Prize
We are delighted to present the RAD Sculpture Park Award, offered by Hotel Caro, a distinction dedicated to supporting and celebrating contemporary sculptural practices within the RAD Art Fair.
This award seeks to highlight works that engage thoughtfully with material, space, and concept—proposals that resonate beyond their physical presence and open new ways of encountering sculpture. By situating the winning work within the grounds of Hotel Caro, the initiative creates a dialogue between art, architecture, and the surrounding environment, inviting a broader audience into this encounter.
We extend our sincere thanks to our partner, Hotel Caro, for their continued commitment to contemporary art and for supporting emerging and established artists alike.
Banca Transilvania Prize
Banca Transilvania strengthens its involvement in the 2026 edition of RAD Art Fair by directly supporting the local community of participating artists. This year, the bank is offering an acquisition prize for one of the works exhibited during the four-day fair—a gesture that not only acknowledges artistic excellence but also contributes to the sustainability of contemporary art practices in Romania.
Through this initiative, Banca Transilvania reinforces its ongoing commitment to the cultural field and affirms the role of private support in shaping a vibrant and enduring art ecosystem.
RUS Collection Prize
Continuing a gesture initiated two years ago, RUS Collection will once again present a prize at the 4th edition of RAD Art Fair. The selected work will be one that offers an intimate and thoughtful response to the layered realities of the present moment—echoing how periods of transition have long shaped some of art history’s most resonant works.
In times when clarity, direction, and meaning can feel increasingly unstable, art remains a space for orientation—at times quiet and introspective, at others insistent and unignorable—guiding us through what is difficult to name, yet deeply felt.
Museum of Recent Art Prize
Now in its fourth year, the MARe acquisition Prize continues to support contemporary Romanian artists by acquiring a selected work into the museum’s permanent collection. The prize highlights the museum’s sustained mission: to document the recent past and the unfolding present of Romanian art through direct engagement with its most compelling voices.
As the prize enters its third edition, it becomes not just a yearly tradition but a growing archive of commitment—a carefully built constellation of practices that shape how we understand the now.
Be RAD Prize
The Be RAD Prize is dedicated to encouraging the work of emerging galleries. Awarded annually at RAD Art Fair, it offers one young gallery a guaranteed spot in the following edition—providing continuity, visibility, and crucial support for long-term growth.
By focusing on the galleries themselves, the Be RAD Prize recognizes the essential role they play in shaping artistic trajectories and building sustainable careers. It’s not just a nod of approval, but a tangible investment in the future of the local and regional art scene.
