The Art Gallery of New South Wales is excited to announce the winners of the 11th annual Young Archie competition, a nation-wide portrait challenge that encourages children and young people towards creative expression.
The Young Archie 2023 exhibition is free and on display now at the Art Gallery alongside the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2023.
Inspired by Australia’s most-loved portrait prize, the Archibald Prize, the Young Archie competition invites young artists aged five to 18 to submit a portrait of someone who is special to them and plays a special role in their life.
The Young Archie 2023 competition winners for each age category were announced during a special ceremony for families held at the Art Gallery this morning. The winners are
- 5-8 years category: Phoebe Raft, 8, Terrigal, NSW, for her self-portrait
- 9-12 years category: Toby Lopata, 9, Elsternwick, VIC, for his portrait of his grandpa
- 13-15 years category: Jasmine Guy, 15, Oatley, NSW, for her portrait of her friend
- 16-18 years category: Lily Hobbs, 17, Kedron, QLD, for her portrait of her aunt
The Young Archie 2023 competition surpassed last year’s record number of entries by over 1000, with more than 3400 artworks received from right across Australia in 2023. This year’s guest judge, Meriam Mer artist Grace Lillian Lee selected 70 finalists.
Grace Lillian Lee said: ‘I feel incredibly honoured to have the privilege to see first-hand these artists from across the nation wanting to be part of the Young Archies.’
‘Reading their stories and learning more about the people that they’re depicting in these portraits is so incredibly powerful and inspiring. It was a really difficult process to decide on the finalists with so much visible talent. To narrow down such an amazing array of works to a group of finalists and then to select just four winners was really exciting but challenging!’ said Lee.
Since 2013, the Young Archie competition has been part of the family program for the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes exhibition at the Art Gallery. It is now a widely recognised nationwide portrait challenge encouraging children and young people to express their creativity.
Art Gallery of NSW deputy director Maud Page said the Young Archie competition is a gratifying opportunity to support the up-and-coming generation of Australian artists.
‘Now entering its second decade, the Young Archie competition is such a unique and special highlight in the Art Gallery’s calendar and is only gaining popularity with the record number of entries received this year. The exhibition is inclusive and family-friendly and continues to encourage young artists from all over Australia to explore their individuality and self-expression,’ said Page.
The Young Archie 2023 competition is proudly supported by presenting partner ANZ.
Mark Whelan, Group Executive Institutional at ANZ said: ‘I’d like to congratulate all four winners of the Young Archie 2023 competition. This prize provides an opportunity to profile our up-and-coming artists, and nurture Australia’s best budding portraitists. ANZ has been presenting partner since the first Young Archie competition in 2013 and we are very proud to be celebrating our 11th year of supporting this prize for young artists in Australia.’
The four winners each receive a cash prize of $200 from ANZ, an art hamper from S&S Creative, a family pass to a paid exhibition at the Art Gallery and an Archibald Prize 2023 catalogue. The remaining finalists will each receive an art pack from S&S Creative, a cash prize of $50 from ANZ and an Archibald Prize 2023 catalogue.
The winners and finalists of the Young Archie 2023 competition from each age category are on display at the Art Gallery alongside the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2023 exhibition until 3 September 2023. The artworks that received an honourable mention are displayed at the SH Ervin Gallery in The Rocks alongside the Salon des Refusés.
These works are also displayed on the Art Gallery website as part of the prizes archive, along with all Young Archie winners, finalists and honourable mentions from the last decade.
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