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Curator and writer Ben Borthwick has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of , the UK's biggest contemporary art prize that exhibits biennially in Wales.

Borthwick has spent seven years at as Assistant Curator. In 2008 he co-founded non-profit arts organisation , which produces projects in high street locations and public spaces.

He is also one of the inaugural curators of Latitude Contemporary Art, a new strand of public space commissions at the 2010 Latitude Festival.

Artes Mundi was established in 2003 and aims to highlight and celebrate the most exciting contemporary visual art from around the world. Each biennial prize culminates in an exhibition, which is held at the .

The fourth prize was awarded to Yael Bartana of Israel in May 2010. The next exhibition and prize announcement will be in 2012 and is planned to take place in newly refurbished exhibition galleries at the museum in Cardiff.

Borthwick commented on his appointment: "I am delighted to join the team at Artes Mundi, having watched it go from strength to strength with each prize. I believe art can transform our understanding of who we are and the world in which we live so it is a real privilege to continue Artes Mundi's commitment to artists who engage with the key questions of our time.

"The chance to build on the networks Artes Mundi has established at the local, national and international level in order to create greater dialogue and exchange between artists and audiences from around the world is very exciting. I am looking forward to this challenge."

Borthwick will take up the post as the prize enters its fifth cycle in September 2010. He takes over from founding CEO and Artistic Director Tessa Jackson, who leaves to become Chief Executive of Iniva - the .

Learn more about Artes Mundi and browse a photo gallery of work by the shortlisted artists for the Artes Mundi 4 prize on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales Arts website.

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