Dunya Initiative

The Museum of Contemporary Art launched the Dunya Contemporary Art Prize in April 2018 as a contemporary art award presented to a mid-career artist from the Middle East or its diaspora. The name Dunya, meaning world or universe in many languages, reflected the desire to represent diverse perspectives and bring attention to new and daring voices from the Middle East. The artist Sophia Al-Maria was awarded the prize, but has since declined. The MCA team respects the artist’s decision and will move forward with learnings and a renewed focus on a broader Dunya Initiative that will be launched later in 2019.