The Wollongong Art Prize had its beginnings in 1956, a part of local festivals and civic celebrations. The prize was already a foundational brick in the Illawarra art scene before the opening of the Wollongong Art Gallery in 1978 and the gallery continued to support Australian artists with the prize, often in partnership with the Illawarra Art Society for the next two decades.
Between 1994 and 2010 the competition adopted a new criteria, celebrating traditional watercolour and judged by a panel including representatives from the Australian Watercolour Institute. The James Kiwi Watercolour Prize, established through the James Kiwi Bequest, honoured the legacy of Estonian-born watercolourist James Wambola Kiwi.
2012 saw the introduction of a dual-format that awarded an acquisitive open prize for nationwide artists valued at $10,000 and a non-acquisitive local prize for Illawarra-based artists valued at $2,000.
From 2019 to 2023, the FLOW: Wollongong Art Gallery National Contemporary Watercolour Prize was introduced as a $20,000 acquisitive prize and encouraged the submission of innovative water-based works. Brisbane artist Natayla Hughes was the winner of the final FLOW prize in 2023 with her artwork ‘Blue Girl in the Sun’.
Now in 2025, the Wollongong Art Prize is back, with a prize pool of $35,000 on offer.
Daniel was appointed Gallery Director in June 2024 and was officially enacted into his role two months later in August. He has held various roles at institutions including Carriageworks, Hazelhurst Arts Centre and the National Art School. With the last Art Prize competition running in 2023, Daniel’s leadership goes beyond the Gallery walls and encompasses how to reinvigorate the artistic community.
He says, “I was interested in how we could go back to renaming it the Wollongong Art Prize but then thinking about how it could be an open prize where all mediums are accepted.
“It’s an opportunity for artists who haven’t been able to enter before because they don’t work in the watercolour medium.”
“It’s about broadening the scope,” Daniel says. The competition is “much more accessible and community focused – it also builds our national profile.”
Daniel says, “It was an opportunity to make a big statement around the program, and certainly I think that has a context within a bigger picture of what I’ve set out to do.”
In re-running the prize this year, Daniel has had the opportunity to support another new leader in the art space. Dr. Kirsten Sharp is the recently appointed CEO and Director of the National Art School and is a judge for this year’s Wollongong Art Prize.
Daniel says that it has been “a really great way to engage her in her new leadership, which I can relate to.” He was inspired by other regional galleries like Campbelltown Arts Centre with their Fisher’s Ghost Award.
He says, “There’s a really great spirit of community when you see artists coming together on mass.”
With over 1100 entries in this year’s competition, Daniel states that there was a strong presence of local residents and First Nations artists who submitted for the prize.
It was important for Daniel to listen to the feedback he had been given from both the artist and wider community in his role as Director. He says that it was his hope that the revitalised Art Prize would renew interest in the gallery.
As Daniel endeavours to support the community with a broader criteria for the prize, it has proven to be a successful venture, “The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”
On Friday 5 December, the Lord Mayor will announce the recipients of the 2025 Wollongong Art Prize at the opening exhibition.
Just like the summer season which has now arrived, the future is looking bright for the Wollongong Art Prize.
Visit the Wollongong Art Prize exhibition:
Wollongong Art Gallery
46 Burelli Street, Wollongong
6 December – 1 March 2026
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