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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

These terms and conditions (Rules) govern your entry to the National Portrait Gallery’s (NPG) National Photographic Portrait Prize 2023 (NPPP).

ARTISTS

1. To enter you must be:

  1. aged 18 years or over at the time of entry,
  2. an Australian citizen or permanent resident, and
  3. the sole copyright holder of the work or you have obtained, will declare and make available all required third party intellectual property rights (including copyright) consents or licences.

2. If the work is a collaboration, artists must enter jointly.

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

ENTRIES

4. Your entry must be:

  1. a photograph, created using either traditional photographic emulsion or digital process in a two-dimensional format,
  2. a portrait in a broad sense (see below),
  3. your original work,
  4. a photograph taken after 1 December 2021, and that was not submitted for entry to any previous NPPP,
  5. submitted electronically for the first round of judging.

5. Entries that have been selected for exhibition in any other Australian or international prize, or as a finalist for any online prize, at the time you submit your entry are not eligible.

6. Portraits featuring officers, directors and employees of the NPG (together with their immediate families) are not eligible for entry.

7. When considering whether an entry is a portrait, the NPG will have regard to the following:

  1. whether the work is a recognisable image of an individual person, identity or group of persons,
  2. the subject of the portrait may be anyone,
  3. group portraits and self-portraits are acceptable,
  4. whether the portrait is taken by the entrant from life (ie. a living person or group of people),
  5. cultural understandings of the notion of portraiture that might differ from the western notion of a portrait as a likeness of a physical person are acceptable, and
  6. photographs taken using video communication technology (such as Zoom) are acceptable.

SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES

8. Entries open on 1 November 2022 and close at 9am (AEDT) 2 February 2023 and may only be submitted online.

9. You may submit up to six entries.

10. When submitting each entry, you must:

  1. fill in all the required fields,
  2. submit a brief statement of a maximum of 100 words about the work. You must obtain the consent of each subject for this statement or explain why that consent could not be obtained (you must provide this if you are selected as Finalist). If selected as a Finalist, the NPG may edit the text for consistency,
  3. confirm you are the sole copyright holder of the work, or you have obtained and will make available all required third party intellectual property rights (including copyright), consents or licenses,
  4. confirm you have obtained the informed consent from all subjects, or explain why you were unable to obtain the subjects consent (you must provide this if you are selected as a Finalist),
  5. upload a single digital jpg file, at least 2400 pixels wide or tall, with a sRGB colour profile, and maximum file size of 15MB. Original prints (physical copies) of entries will not be accepted for the first round of judging, and
  6. pay a non-refundable entry fee of $30 (including GST) for each entry (i.e. $180 for six entries).

11. After your entry has been submitted you can edit, delete or replace it any time up until the closing date.

12. Payment must be made with a Mastercard or Visa debit/credit card. If you delete an entry, you will not receive a refund.

FIRST ROUND OF JUDGING

13. The first round of judging will be conducted using the electronic images submitted by each artist. If your entry is selected by the judges for display in the NPPP exhibition, you become a finalist (Finalist). You will be notified by COB on 1 March 2023 whether you have been selected as a Finalist.

14. The members of the judging panel will be decided solely by the NPG.

EXHIBITION

15. The NPPP exhibition (the Exhibition) includes the following:

  1. the work is exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra from 17 June to 2 October 2023,
  2. the work may be included in the NPPP travelling exhibition tour for all or part of that tour. Works may be excluded from the travelling exhibition tour, and
  3. digital reproductions of the works may also be exhibited in other spaces and formats (for example, as a digital image reproduction at a travelling exhibition venue).

16. The NPG can remove works from all or part of the Exhibition at its absolute discretion.

FINALISTS

17. If selected by the judges as a Finalist, you must do the following:

  1. deliver your work to the NPG between 9:00am and 4:30pm on a weekday during the period 1 - 12 May 2023,
  2. provide a signed and completed Subject Consent Form for all subjects, or explain why you were unable to obtain the subject's consent,
  3. provide any model or subject agreements entered into during the creation of the photograph,
  4. if you are not the sole copyright holder of your work, provide evidence of any copyright consents or licences,
  5. submit your work as a finished and framed print that is stable enough to withstand a multi-venue travelling exhibition tour,
  6. use acrylic glazing or Perspex only, not glass,
  7. ensure the total framed dimensions of the work are no more than 140cm in height x 140cm in width, including frame size,
  8. include installation instructions if submitting a multi-panel work,
  9. affix the title of the work and your name, address and telephone number on the reverse of the work, and
  10. follow the NPG’s instructions regarding public use of images of your work once the Finalists are announced.

18. Finalists must not do the following:

  1. reveal that you are a Finalist until advised by the NPG (this embargo period enables a coordinated public announcement by the NPG),
  2. significantly alter the work after the close of entries (e.g. noticeable or obvious retouching),
  3. submit an unframed work,
  4. attach D-rings to the reverse of the work (the NPG Preparator will fix all hanging hardware),
  5. use glass in the framing (acrylic or Perspex is permitted), or
  6. use any image of the work in promotional material for any other event or exhibition before the conclusion of the Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.

19. Finalists should note that:

  1. the NPG may exclude a work if it appears to have been significantly altered when compared to the digital file submitted at the time of entry,
  2. the NPG will ask Finalists to re-print, re-mat or re-frame work not suitable for display and to re-deliver the work, at the Finalist’s expense,
  3. if matting work, it is strongly recommended that a white or neutral coloured mat board be used,
  4. multi-panel works are regarded as one work and must comply with the dimensions above, and will take into account any wall spacing between individual frames when hung,
  5. works must be available for continuous display for the duration of the Exhibition (including the travelling exhibition tour),
  6. the NPG will exclude a work from the travelling exhibition tour if the framed work is not robust enough for travel,
  7. the NPG’s Preparator will fix hanging hardware to your work,
  8. the NPG will insure the work from when it is delivered to the NPG until you collect it. 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,
  9. you must meet all costs associated with the delivery of your work, including insurance while in transit. The NPG will not accept any charges for the delivery of your work,
  10. deliveries will be receipted, but if you are delivering work by a freight company or courier service and require proof of delivery, you should use a service that provides such notifications.

JUDGING AND PRIZES

20. The winner of the NPPP will be selected by a judging panel, chaired by the Director, or a senior curator, of the NPG. The NPPP winner will receive a cash prize of $30,000 (GST inclusive).

21. The NPG may offer additional prizes, at its sole discretion, including:

  • People’s Choice Prize
  • Highly Commended
  • Art Handler’s Award

22. The NPG reserves the right to split the prize(s) between one or more entries should that be the recommendation of the judging panel.

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

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

25. Payment of prize money is per Commonwealth Government protocols, including due processing time.

COLLECTION/RETURN OF ENTRIES

26. You must collect or arrange the collection of your entry, at your own cost, from the NPG after the travelling exhibition tour (anticipated to be late 2024, but dates will be advised by the NPG).

27. The NPG will pack the work in the same packaging in which it was delivered but will not arrange any freight company or courier service collections on your behalf and will not accept any collection costs or charges.

28. You are responsible for obtaining transit insurance for your work.

29. If you wish someone to collect your work on your behalf, you must provide prior written advice to the NPG, and ensure that your representative has a copy of the receipt issued on delivery or a valid form of identification.

30. If you do not collect your work within the relevant period stated above, you agree that:

  1. the NPG may move your work to a commercial storage facility,
  2. you will become liable for all storage and transport costs, and
  3. after six months, the NPG may, at its discretion, dispose of or destroy your work without further notice to you (in which case the NPG may recover any storage and transport costs that remain outstanding from any proceeds and retain any balance).

COPYRIGHT, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND MORAL RIGHTS

31. You must be the sole copyright holder of the work, or have obtained and can make available all required third party intellectual property rights, consents and licences. It is the responsibility of the entrant to ensure that appropriate third party consents and licenses are obtained (for example, if the work was made by you in the course of employment or while under contract, you must check that you have all the required intellectual property rights to grant the licences in these Rules).

32. If selected as a Finalist, you grant the NPG a non-exclusive, worldwide and irrevocable copyright licence in perpetuity to use, reproduce (including the ability to adapt or modify reproductions), publish and communicate (including sub-licensing and/or supply to third parties) the entry for the following purposes:

  1. the Exhibition (including advertising, catalogues which will be sold on a commercial basis and other media associated with any display of the entry in the Exhibition),
  2. the NPG’s website and social media platforms,
  3. television or streaming programs that involve or relate to the NPG, the National Photographic Portrait Prize, the subject(s) or the entrant,
  4. research or study,
  5. educational purposes including Google Arts & Culture platform,
  6. the NPG’s reporting, archival and preservation purposes, and
  7. in conjunction with the promotion of the Exhibition and Prize in the future.

33. The NPG will work with artists and communities to ensure, to the best of our abilities, the protection of any Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights advised by the artist as part of the entry process. If any of these rights apply to the work of art, the Finalist is required to disclose the details of the rights, including contact information, to the NPG.

34. If your work is included in the Exhibition, you agree:

  1. it will be impracticable for the NPG or its travelling exhibition venue partners to prevent visitors from taking photographs of the work (including on their smartphones), and
  2. you will not hold the NPG or its travelling exhibition venue partners liable for such unauthorised photography or use of those images by third parties.

35. When exhibiting, reproducing or publishing your work to the public, the NPG will attribute your work according to the details provided in your registration form, unless it is unreasonable to do so or you have consented in writing.

YOU MUST HAVE OBTAINED THE CONSENT OF YOUR SUBJECT(S)

36. By submitting an entry, you warrant that you have obtained the informed consent of the subject(s) of your work of art.

37. If selected as a Finalist, you must submit a signed consent form for each subject featured in the entry (available here). If it is impractical for you to obtain this consent, you must explain why (for example, your entry is an image of a crowd). If the subject(s) are not able to legally give consent (for example, for reasons of age under the relevant State and Territory laws), the entrant is required to obtain the permission of someone who can give consent on their behalf.

38. Before obtaining consent, the entrant must communicate the following to the subject(s):

  1. information disclosed about them in the artist statement, including their name and any other personal information,
  2. that the entry and the artist’s statement might be placed on public display in the Exhibition, online and in media, and
  3. the entry might be used, reproduced (including the ability to adapt or modify reproductions), published and communicated (including sub-licensing and/or supply to third parties) for promotional, publicity, educational and administrative purposes of the NPG.

39. If selected as a Finalist, you must provide the NPG with written evidence of the subject(s)’ consent. If any model release or artist/subject agreements were entered into during the creation of the photograph, a copy must be provided to the NPG.

OPTION TO PURCHASE

40. If you are selected as a Finalist, the NPG may, at any time up until you collect your work, choose to open negotiations with you to purchase your work for its collection (the Option).

41. If the NPG exercises the Option, you agree to negotiate in good faith for a purchase price equivalent to the market value for comparable work (having regard to the market for your artwork at the date of your online entry).

42. You also acknowledge that:

  1. if you are selected as a Finalist, you will not sell or transfer the title in your work without the prior written consent of the NPG until such time as you collect it from the NPG,
  2. nothing in these Rules compels the NPG to exercise the Option, and
  3. the NPG may exercise its Option whether or not your work is awarded a Prize.

43. You are free to sell editions of your work regardless of the Option.

OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS

44. You warrant that:

  1. you are authorised to enter the competition and can agree to these Rules,
  2. all intellectual property rights in the entry are owned solely by you, or in the event that the work includes any third-party intellectual property or other rights that any consents or licences required in respect of names, trademarks, designs, works of art or any other intellectual property depicted in the entry have been obtained by you before submitting the entry, and
  3. intellectual property rights, including but not limited to copyright and moral rights, of a third party have not been infringed.

45. 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 the NPG in relation to the Prize competition or these Terms and Conditions are expressly excluded.

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

NPPP Call for entries
Frequently Asked Questions

If you have questions regarding your submission please contact:


P: (02) 6102 7090

Entries close at 9:00am AEDT on Friday 9 February 2024

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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