Perth Artist Sam Bloor Wins $25,000 Invitation Art Prize

Perth-based artist Sam Bloor has been awarded the 2025 Invitation Art Prize, receiving $25,000 for his installation Chance Encounter. The work will be acquired for the City of Joondalup Art Collection, which includes major contemporary works by Western Australian artists.

Judges Helen Carroll, Glenn Iseger-Pilkington, and Abigail Moncrieff described the winning work as “poetic and cinematic,” noting its “layered storytelling and immersive quality.” The panel highlighted the work’s “site specificity” and engagement with the gallery’s architecture, describing it as “an assemblage that feels both timeless and rooted in the present moment.”

“Chance encounters, mystery chats and elements of the unknown frame the experience of the work, which invites participation from audiences as collaborators,” the judges said. “Within the context of the Joondalup Collection, the work will evolve and shift in meaning over time—always linked to this place.”

Bloor has exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the Fremantle Biennale (2019, 2023), Rotterdam Photo Festival (2019), and Totem In Tribute in Edinburgh (2016). He produced a major public artwork for the 2022 Perth Festival and has received multiple awards, including the Fremantle Print Award (2019) and Rockingham Art Award (2024). His work is represented in private and public collections, including the Art Gallery of Western Australia.

The 2025 Invitation Art Prize attracted 142 entries, with ten finalists selected by a panel comprising Abdul Abdullah, Carly Lane, and Katherine Wilkinson. The finalists—Tom Blake, Sam Bloor, Bruno Booth, Erin Coates, Sarah Elson, Tim Meakins, Sherry Quiambao, Andy Quilty, Anna Louise Richardson, and Tyrown Waigana—represent a cross-section of contemporary Australian practice across diverse media.

City of Joondalup CEO James Pearson said the Prize remains a key component of the City’s annual cultural program.

“It is a celebration of Western Australia’s professional visual arts community and a reflection of Joondalup’s commitment to supporting and showcasing artistic excellence,” Pearson said. “This year’s presentation at the new Joondalup Contemporary Art Gallery marks an important step for the Prize and for the City’s growing cultural presence.”

Established in 1998, the Invitation Art Prize has supported more than 700 artists over its 27-year history.

The 2025 Invitation Art Prize exhibition runs from 16 October to 13 December 2025 at the Joondalup Contemporary Art Gallery. Entry is free, and visitors are invited to vote for the $500 Popular Choice Award, which will be announced following the exhibition’s close.