For its inaugural edition, the award received over 160 applications from organisations all around the world. The selection committee, composed of Heba Y. Amin, Dimitris Daskalopoulos, Sandra Jackson-Dumont, Jeff Koons, Sebabatso Manoeli, Simon Njami, Adama Sanneh, and Kim Conniff Taber, chose Kiluanji Kia Henda as the first-ever winner.
Born in Angola, Kia Henda is a multimedia artist whose work explores themes such as history, politics, war, and colonialism. Through his art, he addresses marginalisation, cultural fragmentation, systemic racism, and the lasting impacts of colonialism.
The award ceremony took place on 13 May 2025 at the Palazzo Reale in Milan, as part of the Art for Tomorrow conference. Upon receiving the award, Kia Henda shared on social media: “I received the inaugural “Creativity for Social Change” award […] precisely in the year in which I celebrate 20 years of my career in this crazy and passionate life as an artist.” He added: “What moves me most about this recognition is the fact that it also recognizes the collective projects I have been part of over the last decade […]. I accept this award with gratitude, as a sign that we are on the right path: creating, resisting and transforming together.”
The jury also honoured two finalists: Natalia Kaliada, a theatre maker and co-founder of Belarus Free Theatre, and Mohamed Sleiman Labat, a multidisciplinary artist whose work challenges the perception of refugees and their lives.
The Award, in partnership with Art for Tomorrow and the Creativity Pioneers Fund, consists of a €10,000 cash prize and the opportunity to co-curate a panel at the Art for Tomorrow conference organised annually by the Democracy & Culture Foundation. The winner will also join the Creativity Pioneers community, curated by the Moleskine Foundation, accessing learning and peer-to-peer gathering opportunities.
Portrait: © Edson Pinheiro
