Skip to main content
Menu

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Terms and conditions

Darling Portrait Prize 2024

RULES

These terms and conditions (Rules) govern your entry to the National Portrait Gallery’s (NPG) Darling Portrait Prize 2024 (the Prize).

To ensure your entry is valid your entry must be:

  • a painted portrait, as set out below under ‘Entries’
  • completed on or after 31 January 2022
  • accompanied by a Sitter Consent Form signed and completed by the sitter.

SITTERS

Your entry must be a painted portrait of:

  • a person or persons having a strong association with Australia, or who has made a significant contribution to Australian life.

ARTISTS

To be eligible to enter, you must be:

  • an Australian citizen or a resident of Australia at the time of your online entry
  • 18 years or over at the time of your online entry.

Officers, directors and employees of NPG (together with their immediate families) are not eligible to enter.

ENTRIES

Your painting must:

  • be based on a live sitting or study from life (a sitting conducted using video communication technology is acceptable)
  • be entirely your own intellectual property
  • be a painting, predominantly two dimensional
  • be ready for hanging
  • be a finished artwork completed on or after 31 January 2022
  • total weight of the work cannot be more than 100kgs (including frame)
  • no single component part of a work can exceed a size of 255cm high x 380cm wide. In the case of diptych or triptych entries, the maximum wall length is 1000cm. If the size of your work raises questions, please contact the Gallery at the email address provided.

Only one entry to the Prize is permitted per artist or collective.

SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES

Please do not deliver your entry to the NPG in person.

To enter, you will need to upload digital images of your painting through NPG’s online entry registration page which will be open for entries from 10 October 2023 to 31 January 2024. Finalists whose work is selected for display in the Darling Portrait Prize 2024 will be notified by Wednesday 20 March 2024.

Entries close at 11.55pm on 31 January 2024 AEDT.

When submitting your entry, you must:

  • fill in all the required fields in the online application, including:
    • a complete signed Sitter Consent Form
    • a brief artist bio (maximum 100 words) outlining your art practice and key achievements as an artist
    • an artist CV
    • a brief narrative (maximum 100 words) about the sitter and how the work relates to or reflects your artistic practice. If your painting is selected for the exhibition, NPG will edit the text for consistency with wall labels
  • upload a total of three (3) images of your artwork:
    • one (1) of the artwork in full
    • one (1) detail
    • one (1) of the artwork in-situ
    • images must be in jpeg format, RGB colour profile and a minimum of 2400 pixels wide on the longest edge
    • images of the entire painting should include all parts in the case of diptych or triptych entries
    • ensure that the file size is of sufficient quality to enable the judges properly to assess your painting.

Entries to the Darling Portrait Prize are only valid if all entry criteria have been met.

Once you have registered in the online application portal, your entry can be saved and edited until you have submitted it. After submitting your entry is unable to be edited but can be withdrawn.

SELECTION OF FINALISTS

Finalists will be selected using the electronic images submitted by each artist. You will be notified by Wednesday 20 March 2024 if your painting is selected as a finalist for exhibition in the Darling Portrait Prize 2024.

FINALISTS

Artists who have their painting selected to be a finalist in the Darling Portrait Prize will be supported to be part of the finalist exhibition.

If your painting is selected, each artist or collective will receive:

  • a total artist fee of $1200
  • a total copyright and image licensing fee of $1000
  • an allowance to be determined by the NPG for return domestic artwork freight
  • an allowance to be determined by the NPG for return domestic economy travel for the artist to the NPG for the exhibition launch
  • one night’s accommodation for the artist in Canberra for the night of the exhibition launch
  • an access statement form to complete which will help the Gallery understand any access requirements.

DELIVERY OF PAINTINGS

Your painting will need to be delivered to the NPG between 8 April and 19 April 2024 inclusive.

Finalists will be contacted by the NPG to co-ordinate the artwork freight allowance. Please attach D rings 10 cm from the top on the reverse side of the work.

INSURANCE

The NPG will insure the work for the replacement value, against all customary risks of physical loss or damage from external causes subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Comcover Statement of Cover that apply at the time.

EXHIBITION

If selected as a finalist:

  • your painting will be exhibited at NPG’s Darling Portrait Prize 2024 exhibition (the Exhibition) from 22 June to 13 October 2024 (or as otherwise determined by NPG)
  • you will be invited to the opening function in Canberra on 21 June 2024
  • you agree, if requested, to make reasonable attempts to make yourself available to attend the press preview of the exhibition and the announcement of the Prize in Canberra on 21 June 2024.

The NPG reserves the right:

  • to full curatorial control of the exhibition
  • to exclude or remove a painting from exhibition at any time.

You may not remove your painting from the Exhibition before its conclusion.

JUDGING AND PRIZE MONEY

The winner of the Prize will be selected by a judging panel of at least three members. The members of the judging panel and the number of members will be decided solely by the NPG.

The Prize is a cash prize of $75,000 (exclusive of GST), which will be paid in accordance with relevant Commonwealth Government protocols.

NPG reserves the right:

  • not to award the Prize should the judging panel be of the view that no entry of sufficient merit has been entered
  • to split the Prize between one or more entries should that be the recommendation of the judging panel.

All decisions of the judges and NPG are final, and no correspondence will be entered into.

NPG reserves the right to disqualify any work for prize selection if the artist has not adhered to these Rules.

RETURN OF PAINTINGS

Finalist paintings will be returned between 20 October and 1 December 2024.

The NPG will pack the painting in the same packaging in which it was delivered.

The NPG will coordinate return freight of the painting in consultation with each finalist.

Finalists must make themselves available to receive the painting at a time mutually agreed upon with the NPG, within the period stated above.

If your painting cannot be returned within the period stated above, you agree that:

  • NPG may move your painting to a commercial storage facility
  • you will become liable for all storage and transport costs
  • if the painting cannot be returned within six months, NPG may, at its discretion, dispose of or destroy your painting without further notice to you (in which case NPG may recover any storage and transport costs that remain outstanding from any proceeds and retain any balance).

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND COPYRIGHT

The NPG acknowledges that copyright in your painting remains with you as the creator.

You agree that you have not infringed the Intellectual Property Rights of any third party in the creation of the painting. In the event any third-party Intellectual Property Rights have been granted for the painting, including subject agreements, you agree to provide the NPG a written copy of these permissions if selected for the Exhibition.

Non-exclusive copyright licensing for Exhibition purposes

If selected for the Exhibition, by agreement of these terms and conditions and for the provided copyright and image licensing fee, you grant NPG and any Darling Portrait Prize exhibition partners authorised by NPG:

  • an irrevocable, non-exclusive, commercial (not including merchandising), world-wide, royalty-free licence, for the period from the date from which you are notified of inclusion in the Exhibition to 6 months after the date of the conclusion of the Exhibition, to publish and reproduce the painting (in whole or in part, or partly obscured by text) for publication, reproduction, televising or transmission by any means. This may include, but is not limited to, the reproduction and publication for the purposes of: the marketing and promotion materials, print and digital, related to the Exhibition; print and digital publications in relation to the Exhibition; print and digital educational and public program material related to the Exhibition; virtual tours of the Exhibition (live or recorded); any domain of NPG’s website, social media platforms and other websites and digital platforms associated with NPG; NPG Exhibition content published on the Google Arts and Culture online platform; and television and broadcast content in relation to the Exhibition
  • the ability for the NPG to retain one or more digital photographic or video reproductions of the painting after the conclusion of the licensing period, in perpetuity, which may have been reproduced in any archived content related to the Exhibition, in relation to reviews or references for the Exhibition and for internal exhibition documentation, archive and research purposes.
  • the ability for the NPG to retain one or more digital photographic or video reproductions of the painting after the conclusion of the licensing period, in perpetuity, for use in conjunction with promotion of the Exhibition in future years.

Should there be a requirement for any additional licensing permissions, including merchandising, written permission will be sought with you as the artist outside the terms and conditions of this Prize.

Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights and Protocols

The artist and the NPG agree to comply with any Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property protocols and rights as identified prior to displaying the painting, or reproductions of the painting.

You agree, as the artist, to inform the NPG as soon as possible:

  • if the painting includes, or is likely to include, any traditional First Nations knowledge, cultural expression or cultural objects
  • of any Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights in the painting
  • of all permissions you as the artist have obtained from traditional owners or custodians of the Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights
  • of the identities and contact details for the traditional owner(s) or custodian(s) of the Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights to enable the NPG to obtain appropriate Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property permissions.

The NPG acknowledges and agrees that any Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights identified for the painting will remain with the traditional owners or custodians of those Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights.

The NPG will acknowledge any traditional owners or custodians of the painting in accordance with the Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property protocols reasonably identified by the traditional owners or custodians of the Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property in the painting.

Visitor photography and filming

If your painting is included in the Exhibition, you agree, that in recognition of the NPG Photography and Filming policy 2023 it is impracticable for NPG to prevent visitors from taking photographs of the work (including on their smartphones); and you will not hold NPG liable for such unauthorised photography.

NPG agrees to acknowledge the artist as the creator of the painting in any aforementioned permitted reproductions generated by NPG and any time the publication is publicly displayed or reproduced by NPG.

FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL

If your painting is selected as a finalist, you agree, through your acceptance of these terms and conditions, to grant NPG the First Right of Refusal to acquire your painting. If you intend to sell the painting to any third party from the date from submission of entry to return or collection of the work you must first notify the NPG in writing so that the NPG may exercise its First Right of Refusal (Sale Notice). On receiving the Sale Notice, NPG may exercise its First Right of Refusal by providing you with written notice stating that it wants to accept the First Right of Refusal within 14 days of receiving the Sale Notice and then enter into open negotiations with you in regard to acquiring the painting. If NPG fails to exercise its First Right of Refusal in accordance with clause you may seek a bonafide third party purchaser for the painting. If the Gallery exercises its First Right of Refusal you agree that the agreed purchase price for the painting will be determined, prior to an agreement for acquisition, by good faith negotiation between you and the NPG with regard to the market value for your work and other relevant factors.

You also acknowledge that:

  • nothing in these Rules compels NPG to exercise the Option
  • you have no obligation to sell your painting to NPG, and understand that it has no bearing on whether or not your painting is awarded the Prize
  • NPG may exercise its Option whether or not your painting is awarded the Prize.

OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS

You warrant that:

  • you are authorised to enter the competition and can agree to these Rules
  • your painting will not infringe copyright or any other third party rights
  • your entry meets all the Terms and Conditions of the Prize
  • before registration, you will have obtained all necessary permits, permissions and approvals for your painting (for example, any necessary location releases or copyright licences).

To the maximum extent permitted by law and except for the express written terms in these Rules, all other express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations made by NPG in relation to the Prize competition or these Terms and Conditions are expressly excluded.

These Rules will be governed by the law of the Australian Capital Territory.

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia

Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency