We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Art Gallery of New South Wales stands.

Enter the Archibald Prize

Entry forms for the 2024 competition are now available

The Trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales invite artists to submit paintings in competition for the Archibald Prize.

Value $100,000

The prize will be awarded, in the terms of the will of the late JF Archibald dated 15 March 1916, 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 date fixed by the Trustees for sending in the pictures’. 

Entries in the Archibald Prize competition are also eligible to be considered for: 

  • Packing Room Prize – value $3000  

  • ANZ People’s Choice – value $5000 

Important

It’s essential that you read ALL the instructions and conditions before filling out the entry form.

To be considered for selection, the artist must comply with all entry instructions and conditions.

What you need to know

  • How the entry process works

    Entry forms and payment MUST be submitted online. No forms posted or emailed.

    You don’t upload an image. AFTER the online form has been completed, original artwork will still need to be brought to the Gallery, between the specified dates, along with the completed form.

  • Sitter’s statement

    When brought to the Gallery, your work must still be accompanied by a signed statement from the subject of your portrait. They can sign the statement on your completed printed entry form or a separate piece of paper, with wording like the sample provided. Note: this statement can also be used at any time before entries are officially open.

  • Where is the form?

    When entries are open, a link appears on this page under the instructions and conditions – just scroll down.

  • How much does it cost to enter?

    $50 handling fee to be paid by credit/debit card when filling in the online form.

  • Got another question?

    Check our prize entry FAQs

  • Are you an artist with disability?

    Contact us to discuss any particular needs
    Tel 02 9225 1700
    entries@ag.nsw.gov.au

Instructions and conditions

  • Key dates

    • Entry forms available online until 3 May 2024

    • Date of work: must be completed 3 May 2023 – 3 May 2024

    • Eligibility period: resident in Australia/New Zealand 3 May 2023 – 3 May 2024

    • Delivery of entries BY COURIER ONLY: 8am – 4pm, 22, 23, 24 and 26 April 2024

    • Delivery of entries BY ARTIST OR REPRESENTATIVE OR COURIER: 8am – 4pm, 29 April – 3 May 2024

    • Collection of works not selected EXCEPT if sending a courier: 8am – 4pm, 3–7 June and 11–14 June 2024

    • Collection of works not selected IF sending a courier: your courier company will be advised

    • Collection of works selected for Archibald Prize or Salon des Refusés: selected artists to be advised

    • Finalists and Packing Room Prize winner announced: 30 May 2024

    • Winners announced: 7 June 2024

    • Archibald Prize 2024 exhibition: 8 June – 8 September 2024, followed by the exhibition tour until 31 August 2025

    • Salon des Refusés exhibition: dates to be advised 

    Note: no delivery or collection of works on weekends and public holidays, including Thursday 25 April (Anzac Day) and Monday 10 June (King’s Birthday long weekend in NSW) 

  • Eligibility

    The artist must have been resident in Australia or New Zealand for the eligibility period: see Key Dates. 

    In any year, the artist may enter ONE WORK ONLY. This does not prevent the artist entering other works in other competitions such as the Wynne or Sulman Prizes. 

  • The work

    • Must be a painting.

    • Must be a portrait painted from life, with the subject known to the artist, aware of the artist's intention and having at least one live sitting with the artist.

    • Must NOT exceed the size limit of 90,000 square cm, with a maximum height of 3m (eg height x width: 3 x 3 m, 1.5 x 6 m). Dimensions apply to the entire work of art, including the mounting or framing.

    • May be a multi-panel work as long as the overall dimensions do not exceed the size limit above.

    • May be painted in any medium (eg oil, acrylic, watercolour, mixed media). 

  • Preparing the work for delivery

    • Must be suitably framed for handling. A stretched canvas is considered a suitable frame. 

    • Must be clearly marked on the back with the artist’s name and address and the title of the work. 

    • Must be clearly marked on the back with the correct orientation of the work. 

    • Must be accompanied by a photograph of the assembled work and clear instructions for its installation IF it is a complex work such as a multi-panelled work. 

    • Must NOT be wet when submitted. 

    • Must NOT include any hanging devices such as hooks or wires. These must be removed as they can damage other works. If the work is selected, the Gallery will attach its own hanging system. 

    The work must be accompanied by TWO printed copies of the completed entry form. 

    1. The first copy, with the signed statement from the sitter, should be attached to the back of the work. 

    2. The second copy should be: 
      EITHER handed in with the artwork if you’re delivering in person 
      OR put in an envelope and attached to the back of the work (in addition to the first copy) if you’re using a courier.

  • Delivering the work

    The work must be accompanied by printouts of the completed entry form and a signed statement from the sitter (see Preparing the Work for Delivery above).

    Entries will only be accepted during the specified period (see Key Dates above) via the delivery dock at the rear of the building of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery Road, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia.

    Delivery must be made in person, by a nominated representative (such as a friend, relative or artist's agent) or by a courier/freight company.

    The Gallery will NOT pay for any costs incurred in the delivery of any entry, including freight.

    The Gallery recommends each artist maintains their own insurance for packing and transit to and from the Gallery. Whilst the works are in the care, custody or control of the Gallery, the Gallery will provide cover in accordance with the NSW Treasury Managed Fund Statement of Cover. Cover will commence upon receipt of delivery at the Gallery until such time as the work is collected or returned after the exhibition or any subsequent exhibition tour.

  • Collecting the work

    An artist whose work is NOT selected for display is responsible for organising the collection of their work during the time period specified by the Gallery (see Key Dates above) and must indicate on the entry form how the work will be collected. These are the ONLY options available for the return of works. There will be NO returns by Australia Post.

    For artists sending couriers for pickup, collection will be from an offsite location during a period specified by the Gallery. These works cannot be collected until notified by the Gallery. The Gallery will contact the nominated courier with this information.

    The Gallery will NOT pay for any costs incurred in the collection of any work not selected as a finalist.

    The Gallery will endeavour to return works in their original packing material; however, this is not guaranteed.

    If the artist does not collect a work, the Gallery will give one month’s notice of the Trustees’ intention to sell or otherwise dispose of the work, by sending a notice by email or post to the artist at the last known address or by placing a notice on the Gallery website if no address is known. The Trustees may then sell the work and, after deducting from the proceeds the costs of and incidental to the sale, shall hold any balance for the artist. If, however, it is the opinion of the Trustees that the work is unsaleable then the Trustees may destroy or otherwise dispose of it in any manner they deem fit and shall be under no liability whatsoever to the artist in respect of the work so destroyed or disposed of.

  • Selection of works

    The finalists for the Archibald Prize, and the prize winner, are selected by the Trustees. The Packing Room Prize is selected by Gallery staff. The ANZ People’s Choice is selected by members of the public visiting the exhibition of Archibald Prize finalists at the Gallery.

    The prizes are NOT acquisitive (ie the works do NOT automatically enter the Art Gallery of New South Wales collection).

    The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence shall be entered into.

    Finalists and prize winners will be announced to the media and published on the Gallery website at approximately 12 noon on the same day: see Key Dates above. These artists will be advised beforehand.

    An artist whose work is selected for display will be asked to provide additional information (such as biographical details and a statement about the work) to assist with preparation of prize-related material.

  • Payments for selected works

    For each selected work, the Gallery will pay a one-off fee of $1000.

    In addition, the winner of the Archibald Prize receives payment of $100,000. The winner of the Packing Room Prize receives payment of $2500 plus a cash prize of $500 from ANZ. The winner of the ANZ People’s Choice receives payment of $4000 plus a cash prize of $1000 from ANZ.

    All amounts are in Australian dollars and exclusive of GST. Artists of selected works will be contacted to provide payment information.  

  • Exhibiting selected works

    The artist of a selected work grants the Gallery permission to display the work: 

    • in an exhibition of finalists for the Archibald Prize 2024 at the Gallery or such other venue as the Trustees may in their absolute discretion determine (see Key Dates above); and 

    • at venues other than the Gallery in an exhibition of all or some of the finalists for the Archibald Prize 2024, including in a tour of regional New South Wales and the Northern Territory (see Key Dates above). 

    It is the artist’s responsibility to ensure that the original work is available for these purposes, including the full duration of the exhibition and tour, whether or not they are the owner of the work. It is the artist’s responsibility, not the Gallery’s, to advise any purchaser of the work of these obligations. 

    Artists of selected works agree to make themselves available for the purposes of exhibition-related events, promotion and publicity at times and dates and in places reasonably requested by the Gallery. 

    Alternatively, the Gallery may display works entered into the Archibald Prize 2024 competition in either an exhibition of works that were not selected as finalists for the Archibald Prize 2024 (currently known as the Salon des Refusés exhibition), held at the SH Ervin Gallery or at such other venue as the Trustees in their absolute discretion determine; or in a separate exhibition of works that were not selected as finalists for the Archibald Prize 2024, held at the offices of the principal sponsor of the Archibald Prize 2024. The SH Ervin Gallery or the Gallery would seek the permission of the artist before a work is included in either exhibition, and license these separately. Such works are not considered selected works for the purpose of these conditions and do not receive the fees for selected works outlined above.

  • Licensing works

    As a condition of entry, the artist grants to the Gallery a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, irrevocable, perpetual licence to reproduce, publish and communicate the selected work via any medium in existence now or in the future for the following range of purposes:   

    • administering the Archibald Prize 

    • general marketing and promotion of the prize, the exhibition and touring exhibition 

    • general promotion of the Gallery and its objectives (including fundraising and sponsorship) 

    • archival purposes 

    • reporting purposes 

    • if a work is selected, inclusion in a catalogue for the Archibald Prize 2024 (where one is produced) 

    • educational and research purposes, including making digital versions of the 2024 catalogue or other commercial publications featuring the work available to the public in the future. 

    Any additional commercial use of the selected work will be subject to a separate commercial agreement.   

    This licence includes the right for the Gallery to sublicense its rights to touring partners, sponsors and other stakeholders. 

    It is the artist’s responsibility, not the Gallery’s, to advise any purchaser of the work, or purchaser of rights in the work, of these licensed rights. 

  • Moral rights

    The Gallery will attribute the artist when exhibiting, reproducing or publishing the work or communicating the work to the public, unless it is reasonable in all the circumstances not to do so, or the artist has consented in writing, and the Gallery will use its reasonable endeavours to ensure that touring partners and sponsors do the same. The artist consents to the display of the work, including in relation to any other work in relation to the exhibition, tour and the prize. 

    The Gallery will generally reproduce the work in full. However, details of the work may be used under the licence above at the Gallery's discretion, and the artist consents to any such use. The Gallery will not make other material changes to the work without the prior written consent of the artist, unless it is reasonable in all the circumstances to do so, and will use its reasonable endeavours to ensure that touring partners and sponsors do the same.

  • Original and non-infringing work

    The artist warrants that the work is their original work and does not infringe the copyright, moral rights or other rights of any third party.  

    Where the work was created collaboratively, the artist warrants that the collaboration was done under the direction of the artist. 

  • Indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights

    Indigenous cultural and intellectual property (ICIP) rights are the rights that Indigenous people have, and want to have, in their traditional arts and culture or cultural heritage. Such rights may include the rights to: protect traditional knowledge and sacred cultural material; ensure that traditional laws and customary obligations are respected; attribution or naming of the community associated with such rights; prevent insulting, offensive or misleading uses of such traditional arts and culture; and control the recording of cultural customs and expressions which are essential to cultural identity, knowledge, skill and teaching about Indigenous culture. 

    If the work incorporates, is sourced from, or refers to ICIP material, the artist warrants that they have obtained the informed consent of the community custodians of the ICIP rights to use such material, and for the Gallery to display and reproduce the work as outlined in these entry conditions, and must provide evidence of ICIP consent to the Gallery upon request. When submitting their entry, the artist must advise the Gallery of any ICIP requirements that may impact attribution, display or reproduction of the work. 

  • Privacy

    Personal information provided to the Gallery is collected, used and stored in accordance with the Gallery’s privacy statement.

  • Force majeure

    Where, for any reason beyond the reasonable control of the Gallery (including, for example, earthquake; flood; fire; act of God; terrorism; pandemic; government directions, orders or regulations; labour strikes or other emergency event), the Gallery is prevented or materially hindered from holding the competition or an exhibition of works at the Gallery then it may vary, postpone or cancel the competition by notice in writing to that effect to the artists and by a notice on its website.

  • Governing law

    These terms are governed by the laws of the state of New South Wales.

Entry form

  • You can’t download the form to fill it in. You must complete it online.

  • The form has several parts, each on a different page.

  • You can move back and forward in the form, but you can’t save a version for completing later.

  • You will be prompted to complete each part before paying the entry fee and submitting.

  • You will then see an on-screen message with a link to your completed form and instructions. This will also be emailed to you.

  • Are you completing the form on behalf of an artist?

    In Step 3 ‘Contact’, you can provide contact details if you want communications for this entry to go to someone other than the artist (eg an art centre or artist representative). The email with the completed form and instructions will be sent to this person instead of the artist.

    In Step 2 ‘The artist’, we still need information for the artist themselves, such as the residential address (for eligibility and reporting purposes), phone and email.

  • Is this a group entry (ie more than one artist)?

    In Step 2 ‘The artist’:

    • Choose ‘Yes’ for group entry

    • For last name, write ‘Collaboration’

    • For first name, write the individual artists names OR write the name of your group (if you have one) and put the individual names where it says ‘Name and gender notes’

    If each of the artists in the group have different phone numbers, emails and residential addresses, write the details of one of the artists and indicate in the ‘Name and gender notes’ which person it is.

    In Step 3 ‘Contact’, you can provide contact details for the person who will receive communications for this entry. This might be one of the artists or another nominated person (eg an art centre or artist representative). The email with the completed form and instructions will be sent to this person.

    This will provide the Art Gallery with sufficient information to process your entry, and we will get in touch if we need more details or clarification.