The highest value art prize for women in Australia
The Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize is an annual acquisitive prize and exhibition supported and hosted by Ravenswood School for Girls. It aims to inspire, promote and connect generations of Australian women artists.
Entries for the 2025 Art Prize are now open!
There are three prize categories. In each category, the artwork entered must best reflect the intentions of your art practice. Entry may only be made under one category, in the Professional Artist Prize, Emerging Artist Prize or the Indigenous Emerging Artist Prize, not different categories. Artists may submit a maximum of two entries.
- Professional Artist Prize – $35,000 (acquisitive)
- Emerging Artist Prize, supported by the Reed Family Foundation – $7,500 (acquisitive)
- Indigenous Emerging Artist Prize, supported by the Guardian and Scarborough Foundation – $7,500 (acquisitive)
- People’s Choice Award, supported by Edwina Palmer – $2,000 plus a $500 Derivan art pack
- Highly Commended Awards, supported by Lindfield & Districts Community Bank– six $1,000 awards (two for each category)
Key Dates
- Entries Close: 5 March 2025 at 12.00pm Daylight Saving Time – Eastern Australia
- Finalists Announced. 8 May 2025
- Opening Night: 20 June 2025
- Exhibition: 21 June – 6 July 2025
Exhibition of Finalists
21 June – 6 July 2025, Thursdays to Sundays, 10am to 4pm (Free entry)
Held at Ravenswood School for Girls, Centenary Centre, 10 Henry Street, Gordon, NSW
Artwork Sales
Artworks will be available for sale at the Opening Night and during the Exhibition and may be purchased via an online sales platform.
Prize Categories
Professional Artist Prize (acquisitive)
- Prize Value $35,000
- Open to women artists resident in Australia during the 12 months preceding the closing date for entries; over 18 years of age on 1 February 2025; and who identify as professional artists.
- This is an acquisitive prize: the winner is required to donate the artwork to Ravenswood School for Girls.
- In addition to the cash prize, the winner will be invited to give an artist talk and/or practical workshop to a group of Ravenswood students within six months of the prize being announced.
- Entries must be available for sale at the Exhibition of Finalists (21 June to 6 July 2025).
Emerging Artist Prize (acquisitive)
- Prize Value: $7,500
- Open to women artists resident in Australia during the 12 months preceding the closing date for entries; over 18 years of age on 1 February 2025; and who are in the early stages of an art career.
- This is an acquisitive prize: the winner is required to donate their artwork to Ravenswood School for Girls.
- In addition to the cash prize, the winner will be invited to give an artist talk and/or practical workshop to a group of Ravenswood students within six months of the prize.
- Entries must be available for sale at the Exhibition of Finalists (21 June to 6 July 2025).
Indigenous Emerging Artist Prize (acquisitive)
- Prize Value: $7,500
- Open to women artists of Indigenous descent (including Torres Strait Islander), who identify as Indigenous/Torres Strait Islander, are accepted as Indigenous/Torres Strait Islander by an Indigenous/Torres Strait Islander community (notify name of the community). Entrants must also have been resident in Australia during the 12 months preceding the closing date for entries; over 18 years of age on 1 February 2025 and identify as an emerging artist.
- This is an acquisitive prize: the winner is required to donate their winning artwork to Ravenswood School for Girls.
- In addition to the cash prize, the winner will be invited to give an artist talk and/or practical workshop to a group of Ravenswood students within six months of the prize.
- Entries must be available for sale at the Exhibition of Finalists (21 June to 6 July 2025).
Entry Checklist
You may edit your entry as many times as required up until the Close of Entries at 12pm (midday) Daylight Saving Time Eastern Australia on 5 March 2025. Please make note of your Entry ID (which is different to your registration number).
Please ensure you have the following documents and information that are required for entry:
- Artist’s statement (maximum 100 words) as a Word or PDF file
- CV/career background as a Word or PDF file
- One image of the artwork entered (maximum of 3 images) as a JPEG file, named with artist name and artwork. JPEG must not exceed 5MB.
- For video entries, provide a link to your video (for example, on YouTube, Dropbox or Vimeo). Your video must not exceed 10 minutes.
- Sale price of artwork: your artwork must be for sale. Please list the sale price on your entry form.
FAQ
The Art Prize is open to all women who are Australian Citizens, Permanent Residents or who have resided in Australia during the twelve months preceding the closing date for entries.
Artworks should not exceed 20 kilograms or be larger than 2 x 2 metres, including frame. Videos must not exceed 10 minutes. (Note that 4K monitors are provided. Video entries may be presented on a loop with other artists’ works.)
All entrants must be 18 years or over as at 1 February 2025.
An Emerging Artist is in the process of establishing a professional practice and has exhibited artwork and created a modest independent body of work. An Emerging Artist may have had artwork accepted into competitions and has been establishing an art practice for five years or more. An Emerging Artist is not yet formally represented by a major commercial gallery. An Emerging Artist may have specialist credentials, such as qualifications in visual art or design from a university or college. These details will be evident in your CV.
An Indigenous Emerging Artist is in the process of establishing a professional practice and has exhibited artwork. An Indigenous Emerging Artist has created a modest independent body of work. An Indigenous Emerging Artist may have had artwork accepted into competitions and has been establishing an art practice for five years or more. An Indigenous Emerging Artist may have specialist credentials, such as qualifications in visual art or design from a university or college. These details will be evident in your CV.
A Professional Artist is established in the art world and has created an independent body of work over a number of years. A Professional Artist may have specialist credentials, such as qualifications in visual art or design from a university or college. A Professional Artist will have an ABN and will:
- have artworks held in collections
- be represented by a gallery or agent
- have been granted significant contracts or commissions
- have significant bodies of work that are known to and in the art world.
These details will be evident in your CV.
You will receive a confirmation email once your submission has been placed.
Payment is made during the application process.
Yes, we understand that it can be expensive to enter prizes. Ravenswood is happy for you to submit an email outlining your hardship with a copy of your artwork and CV. Special consideration will be given to waive the entry fee.
Yes, you should choose the best three images to show different angles of your artwork, if required, to submit online with your application.
No, you can only enter one category.
Yes, a maximum of two artworks may be entered, but must be in the same category.
Yes, all works must be for sale.
No, only one artist name for each profile registered. Studios and galleries need to contact the Art Prize for multiple artist entries.
Yes, all mediums, including photography, are welcome.
Yes, if an artist is contracted to a gallery, the commission will be split as 20% to the gallery, 30% to the School and 50% to the artist, should your artwork be sold.
Congratulations for making the final selection! It is your responsibility to ensure that your work is delivered to the appropriate delivery address by the dates specified. Any costs associated with this must be paid for by the artist.
Delivery of Finalists’ artworks:
- Courier delivery: From Tuesday 13 May to Friday 30 May 2025, 8am to 2pm (Tuesdays and Thursdays) to Knightmoves, Unit 1, 12 Pembury Road, Minto, NSW, 2566. An art courier will deliver these artworks to Ravenswood on Monday 2 June 2025.
- Personal delivery: On Saturday 31 May 2025, 10am to 1pm, and Monday 2 June 2025, 10am to 2pm to Ravenswood School for Girls, Gate 3, Henry Street, Gordon. Please note: parking is restricted and the street is monitored by parking inspectors.
You will be notified by email on 8 May 2025 and a list of finalists will be published on the website.
Opening Night tickets will be available to purchase from April 2025.
The Exhibition of Finalists runs from 21 June to 6 July 2025, 10am to 4.00pm, Thursdays to Sundays. Entry is free.
The Exhibition of Finalists address:
Ravenswood School for Girls, Centenary Centre,
Gate 3, 10 Henry Street, Gordon, NSW
All finalists will be given one complimentary ticket for their entry or a representative for the Opening Night. Ticket numbers for the Opening Night will be limited, so please purchase your tickets early and join us for the celebration.
At the conclusion of the exhibition, you will be sent an email if your work has been sold.
All artwork must have a return address label (A4) in an envelope attached to the back of the artwork.
Collection of Finalists’ artworks:
Personal collection
- Sunday 6 July 2025, 4.30pm to 5.30pm – collection of unpackaged artworks from Ravenswood at Gate 3, 10 Henry Street, Gordon
- Wednesday 6 July 2025, 10am to 2pm – collection of packaged artworks from Ravenswood at Gate 3, 10 Henry Street, Gordon
Courier collection
- Artworks may be collected from the courier collection point at Knightmoves, Unit 1, 12 Pembury Road, Minto, NSW, 2566 from 8am to 2pm on Friday 11 July 2025 and then on Tuesdays and Thursdays until Thursday 31 July 2025.
