Awarded annually to the best portrait, "preferentially of some man or woman distinguished in Art, Letters, Science or Politics, painted by any artist resident in Australasia during the 12 months preceding the [closing] date ..."
Value: $50,000 (non-acquisitive)
Medium: oil, acrylic, watercolour and mixed media.
Other information: Portraits submitted for the Archibald Prize must be painted from life. This means that the subject is known to the artist, is aware of the artist's intention and that there has been at least one sitting by the subject for the artist, for the portrait in question. Artists must provide a written statement signed by the subject stating that they had at least one sitting with the artist.
Applicants must have been resident in Australasia for a period of 12 months prior to the closing date.

• 2010 application form available soon

Awarded annually for "the best landscape painting of Australian scenery in oils or watercolours or for the best example of figure sculpture by Australian artists completed during the 12 months preceding the [closing] date ..."
Value: $25,000 (non-acquisitive)
Medium: Paintings - oil, acrylic, watercolour or mixed media.
Sculpture - stone, metal, wood or mixed media.
Other information: Seascapes and cityscapes are acceptable within the definition of landscape. A figure sculpture may be a work which is abstracted, but at the same time clearly derived from a figurative source, human or animal.
  Applicants must have been resident in Australia for a period of 12 months prior to the closing date.
  Entries in the Wynne Prize competition are also eligible to be considered for:
  · The Trustees' Watercolour Prize - value $2,000
  · John & Elizabeth Newham Pring Memorial Prize - value $250

• 2010 application form available soon

Awarded annually for "the best subject/genre painting and/or murals/mural project executed during the two years preceding the [closing] date ..."
Value: $20,000 (non-acquisitive)
Medium: oil, acrylic, watercolour or mixed media.
Other information: A genre painting is normally a composition representing some aspect or aspects of everyday life, and may feature figurative, still-life, interior or figure-in-landscape themes. A subject painting, in contrast to a genre painting, is idealised or dramatised. Typically, a subject painting takes its theme from history, poetry, mythology or religion. In both cases, however, the style may be figurative, representative, abstract or semi-abstract. A mural is a picture that is affixed directly to a wall or ceiling, as part of an architectural and/or decorative scheme.
Applicants must have been resident in Australia for a period of 5 years prior to the closing date. 

• 2010 application form available soon

In instituting this annual prize, the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation wishes to encourage excellence in drawing and draughtsmanship.
Value: $25,000 (acquisitive)
Medium: Unique work on paper or other suitable support in any medium or combination of media. This includes those media and materials traditionally associated with the practice of drawing (pencil, pen and ink, charcoal, etc.) and those which are part of contemporary drawing practice, including pastel, watercolour, collage etc.
Other information: Applicants must have been born in Australia or hold Australian citizenship, and have been a resident in Australia for a period of 12 months prior to the closing date. Works are to be completed during the 12 months preceding the closing date.

• Download 2009 Dobell Prize application form (PDF, 44 KB)

 • Download Additional Information sheet for Archibald, Wynne, Sulman & Dobell Prizes 2009 (PDF 36Kb)

Note: A complete list of conditions will be included with the application form (How to apply: See below).

Entries for the 2009 Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes will be received between Monday 2 February and Friday 6 February 2009 (between 8am and 4pm).

Entries for the 2009 Dobell Prize will be received between Wednesday 28 October and Friday 30 October (between 8am and 4pm).

1. A $30.00 (including GST) handling fee is to be paid for each work entered. One work only can be entered in each competition.
2. An individual work may not be submitted for more than one prize. Should this occur, the Trustees reserve the right to enter the work in the category most appropriate.
3. There is a size restriction for works in the Archibald, Wynne, Sulman and Dobell Prize competitions. Works must be no larger in size than 90,000 square cm e.g. 3m x 3m, 1.5m x 6m etc. This applies to the overall size of multi-panel pieces. Please note that the wall height in the exhibition space is 3.4 metres, floor to ceiling.
     The Sulman Prize competition has a further size restriction:
     Paintings must be larger than 76.2cm x 60.9cm (or more than 4640 square cm in area). These measurements apply to the actual work of art and not frames or mounting. Murals must be in the form of a colour scale design in any media and must be less than 150cm x 100cm. Murals must be accompanied by a photograph of the site in which the mural is/will be located.
4. Painting, drawing and mural project entries must be suitably framed for handling. A stretched canvas is considered framed. Please remove any hooks or wire, as they can damage other artists' work.
5. Neither the Trust nor the Gallery will be responsible for loss or damage whatsoever, and however caused, to any work whilst in its custody. Each competitor is responsible for maintaining his/her own insurance coverage.
6. The Trust reserves the right to display certain works chosen from those not hung in the Archibald Prize Exhibition and Wynne Prize Exhibition at a Salon des Refusés exhibition at the S.H. Ervin Gallery. However, it is the policy of the S.H. Ervin Gallery to seek the permission of each artist before their works are included in the Salon des Refusés exhibition.
7. The Trustees reserve the right to display certain works from those hung in the Archibald Prize Exhibition at another venue.
8. Multi-panel pieces are accepted and are regarded as one work. Such works should be accompanied by a photo of the assembled work and clear instructions for the installation of the work if selected for hanging. The overall size of the work must comply with condition 3 above.

Application forms can be downloaded above - or you can request a hardcopy by contacting the Art Gallery of New South Wales on tel: (02) 9225 1700 or email: entries@ag.nsw.gov.au. (Please supply your mailing address.)

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