The AWAPAs highlight the vitality of arts publishing in the region and acknowledges the contribution of both emerging and established scholars, curators and artists. The Awards play a pivotal role in promoting the importance of writing and publishing in disseminating knowledge and understanding of the visual arts, craft and design. They are the only prizes in the Australasia region to celebrate the publishing achievements writers make to the field.
AWAPA categories include prizes for books, exhibition catalogues, artist led publications, Indigenous Australian, Māori and Pasifika art writing, and an award for recently completed PhD graduates. The Awards are sponsored by a number of universities, art museums, associations, publishing bodies and individuals.
AWAPA recognises:
- Originality and rigour of scholarship
- Contribution to knowledge in the area and impact on scholarly debate in the field
- Significance of the topic to the field and to adjacent disciplines
- Significance and originality of arts research
- Quality of the design and production values of the publication
- Ability to convey complex ideas to wider audiences
Following a review of the Awards earlier this year, AAANZ is pleased to announce a new category, Best Medium Exhibition Catalogue. This category responds to the wide range of activity that takes place in the gallery and museum sector and aims to promote better recognition of smaller and mid-range catalogue publishing.
To enter a publication in the AWAPAs, entrants must be a AAANZ member. Staff affiliated with museums and galleries that have AAANZ institutional membership are also eligible to enter publications.
Prize winners of each AWAPA category are announced at the annual AAANZ conference. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and postponement of the annual conference to 2021, the 2020 AWAPA announcements will be made online and award recipients will be notified by email.
The deadline for AWAPA entries is Friday 31 July, 2020. The 2020 PhD Prize is being held over until 2021 in its current format, due to Covid-19 restrictions and the postponement of the 2020 AAANZ conference. Details for an alternative digital prize is currently in development will be announced shortly. Join our mailing list for AWAPA updates.
Find the entry form on the AWAPA page here: https://aaanz.info/prizes/