Greek Museum Shortlisted For European Art Museum Award

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Greece’s National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens (EMST) has been shortlisted for the 2026 European Art Museum Award, placing it alongside some of Europe’s most prominent museums.

The European Museum Academy (EMA) awards the prize annually to highlight the social role of art museums and recognise innovative practices and new ideas in the sector.

EMST joins five other distinguished institutions on this year’s shortlist, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the new FENIX Museum of Migration in Rotterdam, and the National Gallery of Slovenia in Ljubljana.

According to the EMA, this year’s competition reached an exceptionally high standard. A nine-member jury of museum experts from across Europe faced a particularly difficult task in selecting just six institutions from what it described as a field of “outstanding candidates”.

Samuel Gallacher, chair of the European Art Museum Award jury, said the panel looks each year for art museums that go beyond creating a superficial impression and instead build a meaningful and lasting relationship with their audiences.

He said the curatorial practices of all six shortlisted museums demonstrate excellence and respond meaningfully to issues facing contemporary society.

“The curatorial practice of all six museums that made the shortlist sets a standard of excellence and demonstrates meaningful relevance to the issues facing contemporary society,” Gallacher said.

The European Museum Academy is a non-profit organisation that represents museums internationally and promotes research in museography and museology. It also encourages critical discussion, supports dialogue around new exhibitions and museums, and shares museological knowledge and new ideas among museum professionals.

The organisation currently has representatives from 40 countries and aims to support the creation and development of both new and established museums as agents of social change.

Focus on social role of art museums

The European Art Museum Award places particular emphasis on how museums use art to engage with contemporary social issues.

The award recognises museum projects that place art within innovative, pioneering and creative frameworks while encouraging critical engagement with issues such as social justice, participation, inclusion, gender equality, racial justice, community empowerment, sustainability and resilience.

The EMA says these values should drive new museological practices for the 21st century.

The award also aims to identify new models and examples that can inspire museums across Europe to strengthen their social role.

The winner of the 2026 European Art Museum Award will be announced on September 26, 2026.

The jury comprises Bernhart Schwenk, Danièle Wagener, Delphine Munro, John Leighton, Karen Holdaway Grøn, Louisa Leventis, Samuel Gallacher (chair) and Tijana Palkovljević Bugarski.

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