Archibald Prize 1964

Entries: 171 (69 selected)
Exhibition dates: 23 January to 21 March 1965
Only selected works were exhibited; each artist could submit up to two works

For the first time, the Archibald Prize was not awarded.

The Gallery announced: ‘After careful consideration the trustees unanimously decided not to award the prize for 1964, as they felt that no submitted entry was worthy of the award. They accordingly exercised their discretion under clause 10 of the conditions.’

Under the provisions of JF Archibald’s will, the trustees, if they deemed no entry worthy of the prize, had the option of instead using the money to buy for the Gallery any portrait that had won the prize. The trustees agreed to invest the available sum and eventually use the capital and income to buy a winning painting (which they did from the 1967 competition).