And, in 2018, more than $71,000 will be on offer.

The Muswellbrook Art Prize is an annual acquisitive honour with $50,000 awarded for painting, $10,000 for works on paper and $10,000 for ceramics.

A further $1000 is also put towards a non-acquisitive people’s choice award.

“This is a pretty big deal considering other major Australian art prizes such as the Wynne Prize is awarded $50,000 and the Sulman Prize $40,000 – not to mention that these coincide with the Archibald Prize,” Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre assistant Jade Goodwin said.

“The Muswellbrook Art Prize is open to all Australian artists and locals are always strongly encouraged to enter, too.

“The Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre is the ‘regional gallery’ for the local shires, not just Muswellbrook.

“The arts centre presents travelling exhibitions, local exhibits and art prizes as well as being the home of the Muswellbrook Shire and Max Watters collections.”

The Muswellbrook Art Prize began in 1958 with the winning offering, Death of Voss by Tom Gleghorn, becoming the first work in what has grown to become an excellent collection of contemporary Australian paintings, works on paper and ceramics from the second half of the 20th Century and now the first two decades of the 21st.

The Muswellbrook Shire Art Collection was created as a direct result of ongoing acquisitive art competitions. 

For more information about the 45th Muswellbrook Art Prize in 2018, visit https://muswellbrook.nsw.gov.au/index.php/art-prizes/muswellbrook-art-prize/45th-muswellbrook-art-prize-2018