The Brisbane Portrait Prize showcases the best contemporary portraiture through the finest artists and subjects Brisbane has to offer. Encouraging entries via all media, this year it will offer a prize pool of $87,000.

Brisbane Portrait Prize Chair, Anna Reynolds, welcomed the great support from artists, supporters and art lovers of Brisbane.

“2020 was a tough year for many people, and the artworks in the finalists exhibition echoed the year that was. 2021 has to be better. Already, I can see a desire for people to get out and about, and to see and experience the arts in real life,” Reynolds said.

“Artists provide a window into our world. Their interpretations help us make sense of the difficult times in which we live. This prize gives them the opportunity to tell the stories of our city and our times through the people,” she said.

The Chief Judge for 2021 will be Karen Quinlan, Director of the National Portrait Gallery, Australia.

The Finalists Judges, who must whittle down hundreds of entries to roughly 70, will be Acting Head of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Queensland Museum Network, Avril Quaill, and Campbell Gray, the Director of the University of Queensland Art Museum.

The prizes are composed of two key competitions: the Main Competition offers the Lord Mayor’s prize of $50,000 and is open to over 18s, supported by the Brisbane City Council.

The 2020 prize winner, Keith Burt, was awarded the prize for his portrait Urban Artists, which depicts Matthew and Daniel Tobin of Urban Art Projects, a Brisbane-based world-leading company in public art and architectural design solutions.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said this year is the third iteration of the competition and he looked forward to seeing local artists with local connections submit their work in what has grown to be a highly popular artistic competition.

“I’m confident this year’s competition will deliver a showcase of our city from hundreds of different perspectives, creating a lasting legacy.”

Cr Schrinner said last year’s impressive entries included works by some of Queensland’s best portraiture artists and equally impressive subjects such as former Governor-General Dame Quentin Bryce, Brisbane-based author Rick Searle and boxer Jeff Horn.

Entries for this year’s competition are now open until August 15 and the winners will be announced at the exhibition launch at the Brisbane Powerhouse on September 29.

Christine Rowell, 15, was award the 2020 Next Gen Prize for her self-portrait, Disconcerted by the Unknown.

The Next Gen prize is open to participants 18 and under and aims to increase participation for young and aspiring artists.

Last year’s winner, Christine Rowell, 15, won $2,000 for her self-portrait Disconcerted by the Unknown.

The 2021 Finalists exhibition will once again be held at the Brisbane Powerhouse throughout the month of October.

The exhibition will showcase the works of finalists from the main competition as well as the finalists of the Next Gen competition.

In a Prize-first, the 2020 exhibition was rendered digitally in partnership with Accenture, so art-lovers can revisit the Powerhouse exhibition online.

Competition prizes include:

• Lord Mayor’s Prize of $50,000
• Digital Portraiture Prize of $10,000 supported by Accenture
• The Courier-Mail People’s Choice Award of $7500
• Performing Arts and Music Industries Award $7500 supported by The Lister Family Foundation
• Sylvia Jones Prize for Women Artists of $5000 supported by The Clem Jones Foundation
• Packing Room Prize of $5000 supported by Howard Smith Wharves
• Next Gen Prize supported by Gadens of $2000

For more Brisbane Portrait Prize entries and eligibility, visit www.brisbaneportraitprize.org.