Photo by Cameron Kirby on Unsplash.
The new year is well underway, and with it comes a number of national and local art prizes. Here’s a list of some of the latest opportunities in contemporary visual arts.
The Bayside Acquisitive Art Prize
The Bayside Acquisitive Art Prize (BAAP) offers a total prize pool of $19,000, including a major prize of $15,000 for painting. This prize is a community driven event, with a prize for local artists and a $1000 peoples choice award also up for grabs.
Entries close soon on Thursday 15 February.
Read: Bayside Acquisitive Art Prize encourages diversity in contemporary painting
State Library of Queensland Fellowships
This one is a little different. The State Library of Queensland (SLQ) is looking for people interested in a research fellowship. Successful applicants will explore the archives to discover new knowledge about the collection. In the past, artists have completed fellowships at SLQ and offered new interpretations of the collection through creative practice. There are several fellows available in 2018.
Read: Discover new narratives in old archives
Gosford Art Prize
The Gosford Art Prize breaks with convention to award a major prize of $15,000, without listing finalists. In 2018 the prize is open to all Australian artists working in any medium. There’s also a $2,000 Gosford Ceramic Prize restricted to artists working specifically in that medium.
Works may not exceed two meters in any direction and entries open in July with a closing date of Monday 10 September.
Read: A more egalitarian art prize
Geelong Gallery
Geelong Gallery has a long tradition of painting prizes. In 2018 the biennial Geelong Contemporary Art Prize is back, offering an acquisitive award of $30,000.
Entries to the prize are now open and close on Friday 23 March at 5pm. The official opening and prize winner will be announced on Friday 8 June 2018.
Pro Hart Outback Art Prize
Administered by Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, this prize is for work that explores the rather traditional subject of the Australian outback but also challenges the stereotypes of how this subject can be represented.
The Pro Hart Outback Art Prize is open to all forms and offers an Acquisitive First Prize of $15,000, a Non-Acquisitive Second Prize of $2,500, a Non-Acquisitive Encouragement Award and a People’s Choice Award with a total prize pool of $19,000.
Entries close 15 June.
Read: Outback prize pushes stereotypes
Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize
The Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize looks to challenge the disparate representation of female artists. The annual prize was launched in 2017 and offers two prize categories, including an emerging and professional award. The Professional Artist Prize is the richest professional art prize for women in Australia at $35,000.
Entries close midday Tuesday 17 April.
Read: An art prize that creates a space for women to thrive
Gallipoli Art Prize
The Gallipoli Art Prize asks artists to respond to and reflect the values of the Anzacs. Open to all mediums, the prize offers $20,000. Artists with Australian, New Zealand or Turkish citizenship are encouraged to submit.
Entries must be sent to the organising committee between 10am and 4pm, Sunday 11 and Wednesday 14 March.
Read: $20,000 Gallipoli art prize seeks entries
Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize
Entries for the 2018 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize are now open. This national award has a total prize pool of $100,000, including a $50,000 first prize. This year, the Moran Arts Foundation invites photographers to interpret ‘Contemporary Life in Australia’ with an daily life. Entries should be photographs taken in Australia, by Australians and should reflect the diversity, multiculturalism and uniqueness of Australian life.
Entries close midnight Wednesday 7 March.
Read: Capturing the spirit of Australia in a single image
Head On Photo Awards
The Head On Photo Awards, presented as part of the internationally recognised Head On Festival, have a prize pool of over $60,000. The event is known for pushing the boundaries of photography and offers awards across four categories: portrait, landscape, mobile and student.
Entries are now open and close at 11pm (Sydney time) on Sunday 25 February 2018.
