Seville, 18 April, 2005.- The Fundación Focus-Abengoa announces the Focus-Abengoa Prize for Painting 2005, open to artists from any of the European Union Member States and from North and South America, or residing therein. Works may be submitted from 16th until the closing date on 31st May, at the Fundación Focus-Abengoa central offices at the Hospital de los Venerables, Plaza de los Venerables number 8, Seville. Admission times are from 10.00 to 13.00, Monday to Friday.

Choice of subject is free, and each painter may submit only one work, which must be original and date from 2004 or 2005. Artists may also employ any painting technique they desire. From the works submitted, a jury of specialists will select those which will compete for the prize. 36,000 euros have been allocated as prize money, of which 24,000 euros will constitute the first prize. There will be two second prizes of 6,000 euros each. Works selected by the jury as finalists will be exhibited in public in the Hospital de los Venerables before the end of 2005.

The Focus-Abengoa Prize for Painting, with a history of over twenty years, has achieved great prestige and unanimous recognition in the world of the Arts. It is one of the leading international prizes open to artists from Spain, the European Union and the whole of the American continent.

Conditions are available at the Fundación offices, Hospital de los Venerables, Plaza de los Venerables number 8, Seville, on +34 95 456 26 96 (telephone) and +34 95 456 45 95 (fax), by e-mail at focus@abengoa.com, or on the Fundación Web page: www.focus.abengoa.es.

The Focus-Abengoa Foundation was established in 1982 as a consequence of the cultural activity initiated in 1972 by Abengoa with the publishing of the works "Sevillian Topics" and "Iconography of Seville". During this same period a collection of documents, books and prints on Seville, or by Sevillian authors, was being put together. This initial cultural activity brought Abengoa's senior management to see the importance of the company being seen outside its essential technological functions through an activity that would be of benefit to society as a whole, which led to the founding of the Fundación Fondo de Cultura de Sevilla.

The Foundation's activities have been ever-increasing, while complying unwaveringly with its foundational objective of promoting culture in its different artistic and scientific manifestations. The major protagonists in the existence of Focus-Abengoa have been education, painting, restoration and music, closely followed by seminars, the written word and prints.