Imagine walking through Times Square New York, looking up, and seeing your art work a 100ft tall (or more) in lights. Whilst you’re doing that, have a feel in your pockets, because they’re stuffed with money, $20,000 to be exact. That’s precisely what this year’s winner of the Babelgum (the independent web and mobile video content platform) Metropolis Art Prize, will experience when the prize is awarded on the 17th December this year.

Not only that, but the public will be left to decide the winner for both jurors and audiences will vote on the videos from November 2 through December 6, 2009. Which means even if you don’t make it all the way at least you’ll see your name or rather your video in lights. Before those of you who don’t work in the medium turn their noses up at this fantastic opportunity, let it be made clear that this is an open invitation for all artists, from every part of the world, working within any discipline.

The only reason for the choice of format is so they can screen your work to the people of NY, and what’s more if you’re a runner up you can console yourself with one of the following prizes:-

Best Street Art Video Award: The winner will receive a cash prize of US $ 5,000

Audience Award: The winner will receive a cash prize of US $ 5,000

Times Square Special Screening Award: Six runners-up

They have a rather prestigious line-up for their jury too, including Isabella Rossellini Actress and video artist, who has worked with photographic luminary Helmut Newton, starred in David Lynch’s art house classic Blue Velvet and recently wrote and directed the Green Porno video series for the Sundance Channel. Plus Cedar Lewisohn writer, artist, and curator who recently headed up the ground breaking Street Art (2008) exhibition at the Tate Modern gallery in London featuring the work of cult artists BLU, Nunca and Os Gêmeos. He is the author of Street Art: the Graffiti Revolution documenting the fastest-evolving international art scene ever known to man. Oh I write a little about it too pfft.

Isabella Rossellini chipped in the following: "We want to be inspired, challenged, excited, awed, moved, intrigued and weirded-out. Babelgum’s Metropolis channel explores and celebrates the city and the urban environment in all its gritty, strange and wonderful permutations. We’re looking for art that reflects this spirit."

A little gushing perhaps, I’m not sure but I’d hazard a guess that there’s something more in it for her, after all she’s had plenty of practice with the likes of Lancome. Still, that asides I get the drift and I’m sure a lot of people in the street art scene will concur, if it means getting some exposure like this it might just be worth selling out to "the man". Then again, I somehow doubt that anyone the slightest bit subversive will get anywhere close to even a runner up in the contest. Why? Well apart from America being notoriously prudish when it comes to art and controversy, (is it art, is it porn?), the fact is that anything that even approaches on the furthest fringes of challenging the average New Yorker (is there such a thing?), the Disney police will be on them like a ton of bricks.

The fact is that Times Square used to be dirty, in more ways than one, dangerous even, but at least it was real. Nowadays it’s packed full of family friendly megastores and souvenir shops, no one has a chance of breaking any boundaries in a sanitised environment like that. Still, there’s always a chance that someone particularly divisive out there will manage to slip in a blipvert or two, a subliminal image or piece of text to disturb the masses. Just a 10th of a second frame, perhaps a simple expletive, or something more reminiscent of Times Square’s XXX history wouldn’t go amiss, but oh how sweet it would be to see the outraged so outraged with no conscious reason why.

Laurence Billiet, publisher of Babelgum’s Metropolis channel, commented: “Babelgum is a singular hub for creativity. The prize exemplifies this unique sensibility and will further raise awareness of Metropolis, Babelgum’s channel dedicated to art, design, architecture and urban culture.” Ah well he would, it’s his company after all, if you’re going to offer an art prize no one can blame you for weaving a little self-promotional magic, even if it is by association alone.

What I suspect is a lot of artists out there will be put off by the format for submissions, but hey, it’s no more difficult than uploading a video to Youtube. I just hope one of art bullies, the bad boys or girls of the arts world get a look in, I’d love to see a little chaos injected into the scenario? Wouldn’t you? Ah well it’s something to chew on anyway.

Entries for the inaugural Babelgum Metropolis Art Prize will be accepted September 1—October 18, 2009 at Babelgum.com – so whatever you decide, record the object, event, image, scenario, dream, nightmare… and be ready to upload soon!

This post is tagged art funding, art platform, art prize, babelgum, Metropolis Art Prize, NY, Sundance, Time Square, video