Many ask what it's actually for - but there's £40,000 at stake
EVEN before the first awards ceremony in 1984, the Turner Prize was making waves.
An intense debate flared up when the Tate Gallery's Patrons of New Art announced plans for the Turner Prize, with many asking: Just what is it for?
One of the first issues was why the Tate had chosen to name it after 19th century artist JMW Turner, with many arguing that Turner would not have approved.
His name had been chosen, according to the Tate, because he'd wanted to establish a prize for young artists and because, despite being controversial in his own day, he was now seen as one of the greatest British artists. And certainly the artists who have made the shortlist since then have lived up to Turner's controversial reputation.
In terms of publicity, nothing could match the furore caused by the shortlisting of Damien Hirst, whose work in 1995 had included halves of cows preserved in cases.
He won, and the Tate recorded record numbers visiting.
But with £40,000 in prize money, it is taken very seriously by artists - and with tens of thousands of visitors to the exhibition, it will mean a busy time at the Tate's Liverpool base at the Albert Docks.
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