Film London and Channel 4, in association with the Whitechapel Gallery, are excited to announce the shortlisted artists for this year's prestigious Jarman Award.

The shortlisted artists are: Ben Rivers; Emily Wardill; Spartacus Chetwynd and Zineb Sedira.

Launched in 2008 the Jarman Award gives recognition and support to artists working with the moving image, and whose work, like Jarman's, resists conventional definition, encompassing innovation and excellence.

Following a short tour of screening and performance events to showcase their work at venues accross the UK, including Arnolfini Bristol in association with Picture This on Saturday 25 September, the tour will culminate in a day of screenings and performances at London's Whitechapel Gallery on Saturday 2 October. Full details of the touring programme will be announced shortly. The winner of the 2010 Jarman Award will be announced at a high profile event at the Whitechapel Gallery on 5 October 2010.

The overall winner will receive a £10,000 cash prize and a unique broadcast commission - to make four artworks for Channel 4's acclaimed Three Minute Wonder slot (3MW). This is the only Award of its kind where an artist is rewarded with both financial assistance to enable them to flourish and the opportunity to broadcast their work on national television.

This year's panel comprised: Stuart Comer (Chair), Film Curator, Tate Modern; John Akomfrah, Film-maker; Iwona Blazwick, Director, Whitechapel Gallery; Avi Grewal, Channel 4 Documentaries; Mark Rappolt, Editor, ArtReview; Gillian Wearing, Artist film-maker - to select the shortlist of UK-based artists whose work reflected exceptional and innovative moving image work at a key point in their careers.

Film London and Channel 4 are delighted to again be partnering with the Whitechapel Gallery this year for an Award inspired by visionary avant-garde film-maker Derek Jarman - one of the most innovative, esteemed and controversial artists of the late 20^th Century.

As for the previous two rounds of the annual competition, representatives from the art world, including commissioners, artists, cinemas, curators, programmers and galleries were invited to suggest potential recipients of the 2010 Award. Any mid-career artist film-maker, whose work embraces the spirit and the legacy of Jarman's highly experimental and risk-taking approach, could be put forward for the prize.

Find out more about the shortlisted artists via the Jarman Award section of the FLAMIN website.

Read the full press release.