National Photographic Portrait Prize 2024

Medium / Category: Photography

Requirements: The work must be a photographic artwork taken after 2 February 2023, depicting a person or persons, from a live sitting and entirely the artist’s own intellectual property.

Eligibility: Artists must be an Australian citizen or a resident of Australia and 18 years or over at the time of their online entry.

Associated institutions: National Portrait Gallery

Exhibition dates:  From 22 June 2024 to 13 October 2024 at National Portrait Gallery, Canberra

Entering its 17th year, the National Photographic Portrait Prize (NPPP) is one of the Gallery’s most popular annual events. The prize provides a powerful visual record of the year that was – a celebration of identity, both collective and individual.

Awards

In 2024, the winner will receive a prize of $30,000.

The Gallery is committed to supporting artists involved in the Prize. Each selected finalist will receive an artist fee of $1,200, a copyright and image licensing fee of $1,000, domestic artwork freight allowance to and from the Gallery, and domestic travel allowance and accommodation in Canberra for the exhibition launch. All entries to the prize are free.

Previous Judges

2023:

  • Tamara Dean, distinguished Australian photographer
  • Daniel Boetker-Smith, Director of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Photography
  • Joanna Gilmour, Senior Curator at the National Portrait Gallery

2022:

  • Nick Moir, award-winning press photographer
  • Sandra Bruce, former Director of Collection and Exhibitions at the National Portrait Gallery
  • Rebecca Ray, former First Nations Curator at the National Portrait Gallery

2021:

  • Bill Henson, photographer
  • Nick Mitzevich, Director of the National Gallery of Australia
  • Karen Quinlan, Director of the National Portrait Gallery

2020:

  • Nici Cumpston, Curator at the Art Gallery of South Australia
  • Naomi Hobson, painter and photographer
  • Penny Grist, former Curator at the National Portrait Gallery
Previous Winners and Finalists

2023:

  • Shea Kirk, Ruby (left view)

Winner: National Photographic Portrait Prize

  • Renae Saxby, Bangardidjan

Winner: Highly Commended

  • David Cossini, Ugandan Ssebabi

Winner: Art Handler’s Award

  • Bruce Agnew, KAHA

Winner: People’s Choice Award

2022:

  • Wayne Quilliam, Silent Strength

Winner: National Photographic Portrait Prize

  • Adam Ferguson, Carlos Soyos, 34, a Migrant from Guatemala City, Guatemala and his son, Enderson Soyos, 8, take a self portrait at El Buen Smaritano Migrants Shelter, Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico

Winner: Highly Commended

  • Adam Haddrick, Cordy in the Clouds

Winner: Art Handler’s Award

  • Luther Cora, Flora and Fauna, Giara: White Cockatoo

Winner: People’s Choice Award

For Artists

What you need to know

To enter, artists must be an Australian citizen or a resident of Australia  and 18 years or over at the time of their online entry.

For all terms and conditions, visit the prize’s website here.

Dates for your diary

Open for Entries: Entries OPEN NOW and close 7 February 2024

To enter, visit the prize’s website here.

For more information, check out their socials on Facebook or Instagram.

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