The R & M McGivern Prize was established by the will of the late Muriel Evelyn McGivern, a local resident and artist of Maroondah, as a legacy of Muriel’s support of the arts in Maroondah.
The Prize is awarded every three years by the Trustee for outstanding, original artwork in the medium of painting in oil and watercolour (including gouache).
In 2025/26 the R & M McGivern Prize will make two awards of $25,000.
The R & M McGivern Prize is an acquisitive award and the winning artworks will become the property of the Maroondah City Council Art Collection. The Prize aims to promote artistic excellence in painting and build a high-quality collection for the Maroondah region.
For each year that the Prize is held, a different theme is selected.
The 2025/26 R & M McGivern Prize for painting calls all artists from around Australia to address the theme of ATMOSPHERE.
The atmosphere that surrounds us sustains and shapes our lives. For artists, the influence of atmospheres, both physical and emotional, on visual perception is fundamental.
In Australia and around the world we are experiencing powerful impacts of climate change and shifting social, cultural and political atmospheres.
The R & M McGivern Prize and exhibition invites artists to respond to their notions of ‘atmosphere’ – from the momentary to the monumental.
Entries for the R & M McGivern Prize 2025/26 have now closed and the 50 selected finalists have been announced. Thank you to all artists who entered. For more information about the exhibition visit: www.maroondah.vic.gov.au/mcgivern-prize-exhibition
Trustee
The R & M McGivern Prize is awarded by Perpetual Trustee Company Limited as Trustee of The R & M McGivern Croydon Arts Trust
Fee
$30 entry payment
Definition of ‘painting’ for the purposes of the Prize
To be eligible the medium used must be predominantly oil or watercolour (including gouache), meaning produced for the most part with these materials.
Prizes
$25,000 acquisitive R & M McGivern Prize 2022
$25,000 acquisitive R & M McGivern Prize 2025
$1,000 non-acquisitive People’s Choice Prize awarded by Maroondah City Council
Judges
Dr Paola Balla
Dr Rebecca Coates
Quentin Sprague