The Bowness Photography Prize turns 20 this year! We’re celebrating with some major changes to the prize: read on for details.
MAPh is delighted to announce that submissions are now open for the 2025 Bowness Photography Prize.
This year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the prize, seeing some significant changes that enable a rich prize offering. We’re pleased to announce an increase to $50,000 for the winner and $2,500 cash awarded to two Honourable Mentions. Shortlisted artists will also be paid loan fees for the exhibition of their works.
These changes have been enabled by a substantial philanthropic gift from the Bowness Family Foundation, seeing it becoming the richest cash prize for photography in the country, and making it secure for future generations.
Share this with your artist friends! Entries close Friday 13 June.
Learn more about the prize here
“The gift from the Bowness Family Foundation is the most significant in MAPh’s history. It is a gift that will ensure the legacy of the prize, supporting generations of photographers in Australia. We are incredibly grateful for the philanthropic leadership of the Bowness Family Foundation; their sustained giving over decades to the arts community and the development of photography in Australia cannot be underestimated. Their support has enabled organisations to develop their capacity to grow and thrive, and to present groundbreaking exhibitions across Australia and beyond.”
— Anouska Phizacklea, MAPh Director and Bowness Photography Prize judge
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Bowness Photography Prize invites entries from artists working with photography. Entries for the Bowness Photography Prize will be considered from still photo-based media including analogue and digital photography, produced within the last year.
We are pleased to introduce the judging panel for 2025:
- Shaune Lakin: Senior Curator, Photography at the National Gallery of Australia
- Anne Zahalka: Artist + Winner of the Bowness Photography Prize 2023
- Anouska Phizacklea: MAPh Director
KEY DATES
- Submissions open: Thursday 17 April 2025
- Submissions close: Friday 13 June 2025
- Exhibition of finalists’ works: Saturday 13 September to Sunday 9 November 2025
- Winner + Honourable Mentions announced: exhibition launch Thursday 18 September
Enquiries: bowness@monash.vic.gov.au
Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh), 860 Ferntree Gully Road, Wheelers Hill VIC
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The Wai Tang Commissioning Award is an initiative of the MAPh Foundation as part of the William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize. Paula Mahoney and Janelle Low were the first two artists to be awarded the $10,000 commission, followed by artist duo The Huxleys in 2023. The award is proudly supported by Kee Wong and Stacey Wang.
The recipient of the Wai Tang Commissioning Award from 2024 is Bowness Photography Prize finalist Deborah Paauwe for her work ‘The other twin’. The artist will receive $10,000 and is invited to exhibit a body of work alongside the 2025 Bowness Photography Prize exhibition, with one work acquired into the MAPh collection.
Learn more about the Wai Tang Commissioning Award
MAPh shape
Holiday opening hours at MAPh
MAPh will be CLOSED for the Easter long weekend, from 18 to 21 April: including Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.
MAPh will be OPEN on Anzac Day 25 April, from 1pm to 5pm.
In the meantime, you can view our current exhibition, The basement, virtually – via the link below!
The basement virtual exhibition
Image captions:
- Robert FIELDING
Sacred earth/Manta Miil miilpa 2024
photosensitive emulsion, cotton paper, acrylic paint
224.0 x 228.0 cm overall
collection of the artist
courtesy of the artist and Mimili Maku Arts (Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land)
Winner: Bowness Photography Prize 2024 - Christian THOMPSON
Rule of three 2020
from the series Flower walls 2018–
chromogenic prints
120.0 x 120.0 cm (each)
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection
donated by MGA Foundation 2021
courtesy of the artist, Sarah Scout Presents (Melbourne) and Michael Reid (Sydney + Berlin)
Winner: Bowness Photography Prize 2020 - Amos GEBHARDT
Wallaby 2022
chromogenic print (light box)
76.0 x 95.0 cm
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection
donated by MGA Foundation 2022
courtesy of the artist and Tolarno Galleries (Melbourne)
Winner: Bowness Photography Prize 2022 - Polixeni PAPAPETROU
Delphi 2016
from the series Eden
pigment ink-jet print
127.5 x 85.0 cm
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection
donated by MGA Foundation 2017
courtesy of the Estate of Polixeni Papapetrou and Jarvis Dooney Galerie (Berlin)
Winner: Bowness Photography Prize 2017 - Hoda AFSHAR
Portrait of Behrouz Boochani, Manus Island 2018
from the series Remain
pigment ink-jet print
100.0 x 86.0 cm
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection
donated by the MGA Foundation 2019
© Hoda Afshar, courtesy of the artist and Milani Gallery (Brisbane)
Winner: Bowness Photography Prize 2018
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Wheelers Hill Victoria 3150 Australia
Phone +61 3 8544 0500
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© Museum of Australian Photography 2023
The Museum of Australian Photography is the premier cultural facility of the City of Monash.
The City of Monash acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Bunurong People, and recognises their continuing connection to the land and waterways. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging and extend this to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.
