THE victor of the Turner Prize, the oft controversial annual art award, is also its oldest to date: the artist Lubaina Himid.

The jury applauded four nominated artists for their socially engaged and visually imaginative work.

"They awarded the prize to Lubaina Himid for a trio of outstanding shows in Oxford, Bristol and Nottingham".

Himid, 63, a professor of contemporary art at the University of Central Lancashire, is known for her theatrical, witty and challenging artworks that address colonial history, racism and institutional invisibility.

"They admire her expansive and exuberant approach to painting which combines satire and a sense of theatre".

Himid has consistently foregrounded the contribution of African diaspora to Western culture.

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The prize was previously open only to artists aged 50 and under, but the rule was changed this year and everyone on the shortlist was over 40.

Himid beat British painter Hurvin Anderson, whose images often draw on his Caribbean heritage; German-born multidisciplinary artist Andrea Buttner; and Palestinian-English artist Rosalind Nashashibi. She is also the first black woman to win the award.

The prize is famous for launching the careers of Damien Hirst and other members of the "Young British Artists" generation.

The Turner Prize award money is 40,000 pounds ($54,000), with 25,000 pounds going to the victor and 5,000 pounds each for the other short-listed artists.

At a glittering ceremony at Hull Minster, Lubaina Himid, a key figure of the Black Arts Movement, was presented the £25,000 Turner Prize by DJ Goldie.