19/12/2025
In this short video, Anne MacDonald reflects on the judging process — the care, openness and seriousness with which this Prize was approached.
It feels fitting that this story closes the year.
This past year has been nothing short of neck on the line.
Head first. No safety net.
Driven by a belief that what we were doing wasn’t just right for artists — but something the wider art world has been quietly crying out for and to be inclusive of those who felt art wasn't their space.
We set out to build a scaffold.
One that could protect, guide and shape emerging voices.
One that fills gaps left by traditional pathways — technical skill, mentorship, business acumen, and real-world support.
The future is, of course, uncertain.
Systemic change always is.
And right now, we’re still just a group of upstarts with good intentions — pushing against a system that has long asked artists to survive rather than thrive.
But we stand resolute.
Thank you to every artist, judge, sponsor, visitor, collector and supporter who has stood with us this year. Your belief has carried this further than we could have imagined.
January brings a strategic session that will sharpen who we are, how we’re structured, and who we serve.
And for absolute clarity —
we are here to serve the artist.
That extraordinary human being who chooses this life.
We exist to equip them with the skills, confidence and support to not just endure the art world — but to flourish within it.
No small feat.
No easy road.
But a necessary one.
Thank you for being part of it. 🙏🏽
