Now in its third year, this annual award offers NZD$1500 for research related to the New Zealand-born artist Len Lye – his films, sculptures, life and ideas. The award is open to students, recent graduates, and researchers interested in film or the visual arts.
This award, offered by the Len Lye Foundation, commemorates the artist Evan Webb (1952-2023) who was a key figure in the research and restoration of the work of Len Lye.
The award will be open to any researcher. The sum of NZD$1500 will be given annually to the best original contribution to Lye scholarship from at least one of the following categories:
1) An unpublished research essay on some aspect of Len Lye’s sculpture, film-making, or work in other genres, or his ideas, or his aesthetics;
2) An unpublished research essay which makes an original contribution to knowledge of Lye’s life and career;
3) A proposal for research project in the Lye archive at the Lye Centre in New Plymouth;
4) An engineering design or research proposal which offers original suggestions for the restoration or building of a Lye sculpture. The proposal should aim at the improvement of existing procedures or contribute to the development of a work which existed only in the planning stage.
The length of the essay or proposal is not a key factor — what we are looking for is soundlybased, original work.
The prize is annual, but the Len Lye Foundation will not be obliged to make an award if it considers than no application fully meets the criteria. If its current resources and the quality of entries permit, the Foundation may also offer a second, similar award, or enter into further discussion with the winner about a proposed engineering project or plans for research at the Lye archive. If a winning entry is later published, the Foundation would like a copy for its archive.
The date for submission this year will be 5pm Friday August 28th 2026 and the result will be announced Monday October 12 th 2026. The winner will be selected by a committee of the Foundation.
Applications should be sent to Roger Horrocks who is coordinating the award on behalf of the Foundation: r.horrocks@xtra.co.nz.
If postal submission is necessary, the address is:
Len Lye Foundation, c/o New Plymouth District Council, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, Private Bag 2025, New Plymouth 4340, Aotearoa New Zealand.
Please pass on information about the award to anyone who may be interested. The coordinator can help to answer questions.
Image Credit: Len Lye with ‘Fountain’, 1960. Courtesy Len Lye Foundation
Image Reproduction: The supply is for the use in supporting the accompanying text to promote the Evan Webb Award (2026) for one time-use only. Should you require re-use of the image again please seek further permissions from the Len Lye Foundation via admin@lenlye.com confirming the context to the re-use.
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