The Sovereign Art Foundation (SAF) is a non-profit organisation established in 2003 by Howard Bilton, a tax lawyer and today's chairman of the Sovereign Group.

Originally a charity, the SAF works towards raising money to help disadvantaged children in Asia and using the arts as a form of rehabilitation, education and therapy. In 2013, the SAF set up the Make It Better project (MIB) that allows for weekly art therapy workshops to take place across Hong Kong and Asia, mostly focusing on under-privileged families' children.

In 2003, Howard Bilton transformed his art-collecting hobby into what is now Asia's largest art prize: The Sovereign Asian Art Prize. This prize, hosted annually in Hong Kong, is a visual arts competition among 30 finalists whose work is then auctioned to raise funds for the MIB project and other charities. The prize initially focused on artists working in the medium of painting only but have since expanded to include other 2D media, including photography, drawing, and print, as well as 3D sculptures.

The Sovereign Art Foundation invites a network of experts from either Europe, Asia or Africa to nominate artists to participate in the prizes. During the exhibition the final judging is performed live and the winner of the US$30,000 first prize is announced and an additional US$1,000 is given to the artist with the public vote for best work. At the culmination of the exhibition there is a charity gala auction where the finalists' works, excluding the first prize winner, are auctioned, with half the proceeds going to the foundation and the other half going back to the artist.

Since 2007, the SAF have expanded their work towards Europe with The Sovereign European Art Prize (held in 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011), the Middle East with The Sovereign Middle East and North Africa Art Prize in 2016 and the rest of Africa with The 2011 African Art Prize.

In addition, Sovereign Art Foundation Students Art Prizes are awarded in a number of countries including Hong Kong, Bahrain, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Malta, Mauritius, Portugal and Singapore.

Charity and funding

The Sovereign Art Foundation has used the funds raised through the art prizes it runs to support various charities that help disadvantaged children using the arts as rehabilitation, education and therapy. Three specific examples are Make It Better (founded by SAF), M'Lop Tapang and the Kalki Welfare Society.

Make it Better In 2013 The Sovereign Art Foundation (SAF) launched the Make It Better Project (MIB), an initiative designed for children from low-income families and those with special educational needs. In Hong Kong, many individuals struggle with extreme financial hardship. They and their families may consequently face social isolation and discrimination. Make It Better aims to support these children by offering them empowering learning activities reinforced by expressive arts. MIB runs weekly workshops in partnership with experienced organisations and schools that help identify those children most in need of support.

M'Lop Tapang M'Lop Tapang works jointly with children and their families to access education, health care, counselling, income generation initiatives and other services needed to secure a better future. It also works in the community to increase awareness about issues affecting street children, in particular abuse, amongst local people, police, teachers and government officials, helping to make the community a safer place for children. The Sovereign Art Foundation is working with M'Lop Tapang to create a two-year arts programme to help them teach new skills to the disadvantaged children of the area.

Kalki Welfare Society The Kalki Welfare Society is a non-profit organisation working for vulnerable children of Pondicherry, India and nearby areas. Since June 2008 Kalki has striven to provide a better opportunity to street and other vulnerable children living in very poor conditions, offering them the chance to become active players in their lives. The Sovereign Art Foundation is working with the Kalki Welfare Society to establish an arts project for the disadvantaged children it supports.

Other beneficiary charities The Sovereign Art Foundation has also supported Kids Company, The Prince's Foundation for Children & the Arts, Room to Read, The Peace Art Cambodia Project and the Hong Kong Youths Art Foundation to name just a few. Over the years the Foundation has raised in excess of US$2 million for charitable activities. The Sovereign Group is the main sponsor of the Sovereign Art Foundation. Sovereign pays all the administrative expenses, salaries, office costs and the prize money. Partners are sought for the sponsorship of the key events and previous exhibitions and auction dinners have been supported by Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Barclays Wealth, Jaeger Le Coultre, Cathay Pacific, Sotheby's, ADM Capital, Sutton and many others.

Prizes

The Sovereign Asian Art Prize (SAAP)

The Sovereign Asian Art Prize was initiated in 2003 when the Sovereign Art Foundation was established as a charity in Hong Kong and is the Sovereign Art Foundation's most established prize having had over 2000 artists in the region submit entries in its history.

The prize follows the format explained earlier. Entry is by nomination only. All entries are then judged by a renowned judging panel that has a strong authority in contemporary Asian art. This is the first part of a two part judging process where the 30 strongest pieces will be the art prize finalists. The finalists are usually exhibited in a prominent public place in Hong Kong. In 2010, the finalist exhibition was for the first time toured in Singapore and in Hong Kong. In 2011, the finalist exhibition will be toured in Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore and then finally in Hong Kong. (see: The Sovereign Asian Art Prize). The second part of the judging process will take place live, at the exhibition in Hong Kong where the art prize winner will be announced. The 29 remaining pieces will then be auctioned off by a chosen auction house (Christie's in 2019 and Sotheby's various other years) at a charity dinner where 50% of the proceeds of each sale will go to the artist and the other 50% will go to the foundation. All proceeds made on the evening by the foundation will go directly towards its charitable aims (see above).

Additionally, the award also includes the "Schoeni Prize" which is named in memory of Manfred Schoeni who died in 2004. This prize is decided solely by public votes cast at the exhibition and through the Sovereign Art Foundation website. The prize carries a nominal award of US$1,000.

As well as raising funds to assist art projects in Asia, The Sovereign Asian Art Prize strives to recognise the most innovative and influential artists of our time.

Winners YearArtistCountry2019Ahmed JavedPakistan 2018Halima CassellPakistan2017Yogie Achmad GinanjarIndonesia 2016 –

2015Baptist CoelhoIndia2014Anida Yoeu ALiCambodia 2013 –

2012Laurent Gutierrez and Valerie PortefaixHong Kong 2011Jeongmee YoonRepublic of Korea 2010 Pala Pothupitiye Sri Lanka 2009 Debbie Han Korea 2008Chow Chun Fai Hong Kong 2007 Kumi Machida Japan 2006 Uttaporn Nimmalaikaew Thailand 2005Tsang Kin-Wah Hong Kong 2004Jeffrey Du Vallier D'Aragon Aranits Hong Kong + Judges20042005200620072008200920102011Sir David Akers-JonesJeffrey Du Vallier D'Aragon AranitsArk FongsmutDavid ElliotPeter AspdenDavid ElliotDavid ElliotDavid ElliotProfessor Chan Yuk KeungProfessor Chan Yuk KeungFumio NanjoJean-Baptiste DebainsXu BingXu BingXu BIngSunhee KimDr Christina ChuDr Christina HsuDr Alice GuillermoVictoria LuVictoria LuFumio NanjoFumio NanjoFumio NanjoClaire HsuClaire HsuClaire HsuBridget Tracy TanUli SiggUli SiggTan Boon HuiWilliam ZhaoAngelina BleachRobert LeePamela KemberPamela KemberDr Apinan PoshyanandaLars NittveLars NittveDr Gao ShimingPooja SoodGraham SheffieldJerome SansEnin SupriyantoSir David TangGu Wenda2012–201320142015–2016201720182019David ElliotDavid ElliotDavid ElliotDavid ElliotDavid ElliotDavid ElliotSunhee KimSunhee KimSong DongAlexandra A. SenoAlexandra A. SenoJan DalleyFumio NanjoFumio NanjoMichael LinJim SupangkatFumio NanjoWilliam LimLars NittveRachel KentCosmin CostinasMichael SnellingJan DalleyZhang HuanEmi EuEmi EuAsmudjo IriantoMiao XiochunRashid RanaMami KataokaPhilip TinariLauren CameronTim MarlowJoey Lau

The Sovereign European Art Prize The Sovereign European Art Prize was established in 2006 following the success of the Sovereign Asian Art Prize in London. The prize has since had over 1,500 artist entries from the European region.

The European art prize runs on the same format as the African and Asian prize. Entry is by nomination only. All entries are then judged by a renowned judging panel that has a strong authority in contemporary European art. This is the first part of a two part judging process where the 30 strongest pieces will be the art prize finalists. In the past the 30 finalists have been exhibited in London but in 2011 this will move to The 2010 European capital of culture, Istanbul. The second stage of the judging process will be carried out live at the exhibition where the art prize winner will be announced, who will receive US$25,000. The remaining 29 finalist art works will be auctioned off in the same format as the Asian Art Prize, where 50% of the proceeds will go to the artist and the other 50% to the foundation.

The beneficial charity of The 2011 Sovereign European Art Prize was Acik Kapi, a local Turkish charity whose primary concern is providing shelter for homeless children, who will use the funding to establish an arts program at their centre.

As well as raising funds to assist art projects in Europe, The Sovereign European Art Prize strives to recognize the most innovative and influential artists of our time.

+WinnersYearArtistCountry2005Susan GunnUnited Kingdom2007Damien CadioFrance2008Nadia HebsonGermany 2009–10David BirkinUnited Kingdom

+JudgesJudgeYearJudgeYearJudgeYearAmi Barak2006, 2007, 2009–10Charles Esche2006Robert Punkenhofer2009–10Sir Peter Blake2006, 2007Isabel Carlos2007Joseph Backstein2009–10Jorge Molder2006, 2007Bruce McLean2007Gavin Turk2009–10Shaheen Merali2006, 2007Enzo Di Martino2007Nasser Azam2009–10Giorgio Bonomi2006Eric Corne2007Ali Akay2011Chalotta Kotik2006Jiří David2007Marc-Olivier Wahler2011Angela Flowers2006Susan Gunn2009–10Başak Senova2011Professor Janwillem Schrofer2006Tim Marlow2009–10, 2011Bryan Ferry2006Philly Adams2009–10, 2011

The Sovereign African Art Prize

In 2011, the Sovereign Art Foundation held the Sovereign African Art Prize for the Sovereign Art Foundation in Africa. Its aim was to (i) raise public awareness of African art; (ii) provide much needed exposure, recognition and opportunity to African artists; and (iii) raise significant funding for charities in Africa.

Contrary to the Asian Art Prize, the 2011 Sovereign African Art Prize only consisted of 20 finalists, chosen by expert nominators, that were exposed on 24–25 September at the Johannesburg Art Fair. The Winner for the prize was artists Hassan Hajjaj from Morocco. +Judges2011Robert DevereuxJulian OzanneSimon NjamiJean PigozziRiason Naidoo

The 2016 Sovereign Middle East & North Africa (MENA) Art Prize The 2016 Sovereign Middle East & North Africa (MENA) Art Prize was held in 2016 in Dubai and strive towards encouraging and supporting North African and Middle-Easter artists. It follows, once again, the same criteria as the Asian Art Prize with a selection of specialized and expert judges and nominators. The winner of the 2016 Sovereign Middle East & North Africa Art Prize was Alfred Tarazi, an artist from Lebanon followed by the Public Vote Prize won by Mayasa Al Sowaidi.

The Sovereign Student Art Prize