Lake Art Prize 2022

Please send your question via email to [email protected].

The MAC yapang team are monitoring this inbox and will respond to you.

If you would like to pay in cash, you can do so over the counter at MAC yapang during opening hours Tuesday to Sunday 9am - 3pm.

Please ensure you have submitted your application and have your submission number at the time of payment.

If your work is selected as a finalist for exhibition, you will be issued an exhibition agreement which requests artwork price.

Extensions will not be granted for this prize. Please refer to the terms and conditions.

Yes, when you complete the online payment process you will be sent a receipt via email.

Yes, you will be notified via email if you are successful or unsuccessful. A list of finalists will then be available online on our website.

Artwork can be of any medium including, but not limited to, sculpture, painting, drawing, photomedia, installation, sound, fibre arts and a single piece or multi-piece artwork.

There are no prize categories.

The prize is open to all mediums/artwork that address the exhibition theme 'The Vessel: contained within and moving between'.

Yes, your work cannot exceed 250cm in any direction or weigh more than 20kg. 

Please upload a still image from your piece and send the file securely using a file transfer program to [email protected].

Include your application number, name and the words “Video file for download” in the subject line.

The Lake Art Prize is open to all Australians (citizens or residents) who are 18 years and older on 22 August 2022 and must be living in Australia as their main place of residence. (Proof of age or residency may be required.)

1. Employees of Lake Macquarie City Council, MAC yapang, the judges, and members of their immediate families are not eligible to enter the Prize.
2. The artwork must reflect the theme 'The Vessel: contained within and moving between’, in any medium including, but not limited to, painting, work on paper, photomedia work, film, sculpture, as a single artwork or multi-piece artwork.
3. Works by non-Aboriginal artist reflecting Aboriginal cultural themes and imagery will not be accepted unless created through an ethical partnership.
4. The entrant warrants the artwork is original and does not infringe the copyright, moral rights or other rights of any third party.
5. All entries must be available for sale and acquisition into MAC yapang's Visual Arts Collection that is part of the Lake Macquarie Cultural Collection . The artist’s sale price (ex GST) is the acquisitive prize paid for the work. Artworks not acquired for the MAC yapang Collection, will be available for sale to the public and a 25% commission will be added to the artist's sale price. 
6. The entrant must be the owner of the artwork and it must have been produced within the 24 months prior to 22 August 2022.
7. The artist's sale price must be $25,000 or less.
8. Artworks must not have been exhibited (in any form - digitally or physically) as a finalist in another art prize.
9. The artwork must not exceed the size limit of 250 cm in any given dimension in total. Dimensions apply to the actual work of art, not the mounting or framing.
10. Artworks may be single or multi-piece as long as the overall dimensions do not exceed the size limit.
11. Artworks must not exceed 25 kg in total weight.
12. Entry is limited to one work per person or collective
13. Digital entries, including fee payment and all information, must be submitted by midnight Monday 22 August 2022 (EST) in SmartyGrants. No late entries will be accepted.
14. No entries will be accepted if delivered by hand, email or post. Please contact us if you require assistance with completing the entry form. 
15. Entry into The Lake Art Prize 2022 requires completion of all components within the online entry form, including, but not limited to: Statement outlining how the artwork relates to the theme (200 words, title, materials and date made, description of the materials used and outline of installation process, short artist biography paragraph (200 words), quality images accurately reproducing the artwork, acceptance of all declarations and contact details and payment of entry fee.
16. Artworks will be assessed and shortlisted for the finalist exhibition by a panel appointed by Lake Macquarie City Council, including two high-profile external judges (to be announced prior to the judging).
17. All entrants will be notified via email and advised whether they have been selected or not for the finalist exhibition by 29 September 2022.The finalist exhibition selection will be final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the selection.
18. The entrant agrees to any embargo applicable to the finalist exhibition and/or winner announcement. The winning entrant must not disclose his/her/their identity during the embargo period.
19. MAC yapang will always attribute the artist as the author of the work. Full details of the work may be used at MAC yapang's discretion.
20. Finalists acknowledge that your artwork statement and bio as provided as part of the entry to The Lake Art Prize 2022 may be used by MAC yapang for the purposes of education, publicity and promotion.
21. MAC yapang will not make any changes or alterations to an entrants work, statement or bio without an entrants prior written consent, and will treat the entrants work with integrity.
22. The entrants warrant that their work does not infringe any laws including and that they have obtained full consent regarding any First Nations knowledge or intellectual property within their work from relevant communities whose work contains Indigenous culture for intellectual property.
23. All entrants retain copyright in their artwork and all information and images submitted. 

If an artwork is selected for the finalist exhibition

1. The artwork must be available for loan and display at MAC yapang between 5 September 2022 and 23 December 2022.
2. Finalist artworks are to be delivered, at the entrant’s expense, to MAC yapang by no later than 4pm Friday 12 September 2022.
3. Finalists will be responsible for all transit insurance. MAC yapang will insure the artwork for the artist's price while it is in the possession, care or control of MAC yapang, including while on display to the public.
4. MAC yapang reserves the right not to exhibit a work if, in the opinion of the judges, the images submitted earlier are not an adequate representation of the actual work received or if the work is in not in a condition for public exhibition.
5. All artworks selected for the Finalist Exhibition will be available for sale to the public unless clearly marked Not for Third Party Sale.
6. Finalists will set the sale price of their artwork and if an artist is registered for GST the sale price should include GST. MAC yapang will not charge commission on the works if acquired as part of the acquisitive award or ay purchase for the MAC yapang Visual Arts Collection.
7. Any artwork sold during the exhibition through MAC yapang to a third party will include a commission of 25% (excluding GST) unless otherwise negotiated before the exhibition (such as in the case of pre-existing representation by a registered dealer).
8. MAC yapang will manage sales enquires unless otherwise negotiated by the artist due to their representation by a registered dealer.
9. Artists will receive payment for any sold work within one month following the conclusion of the exhibition.
10. Artworks must be clearly labelled with the artist’s name and artwork title.
11. Artworks must be submitted ready to install.
12. 2D artworks must have D rings or hanging fixtures attached.
13. AV works must be submitted with presentation instructions and hardware requirements.
14. Where reasonable finalists will make themselves available for marketing and media opportunities in relation to the promotion of The Lake Art Prize 2022 and the finalist exhibition, at the invitation of MAC yapang, if given reasonable notice.
15. Finalists grant to MAC yapang (and its partners and sponsors) a fee-free, non-commercial, non-exclusive licence for 2 years to reproduce the submitted work in material form, to photograph, publish and/or communicate it to the public, for the following Prize-related purposes: marketing, publicity, educational and publication uses for the MAC yapang, the Prize and its exhibition in all media, including but not limited to electronic/digital, broadcasting and print media and anything incidental to such purposes including visitor social media use. Photography within the exhibition will be allowed unless specified by the artist. Artworks that are not to be photographed will be clearly labelled.
16. Finalists grant to MAC yapang a perpetual licence for its archival purposes.
17. MAC yapang will exercise professional care of exhibited works. Adequate precautions must be taken in packing of works as no responsibility will be taken for damaged or lost works in transit. Packaging must be suitable for return. Condition reports are carried out of the work upon receiving the work at MAC yapang and prior to return of the work. Condition reports can be provided to finalists upon request.
18. The relevant artwork must be available for acquisition to meet the requirements of the Acquisitive Prize and the Highly Commended Prizes. Where the work has been created by more than one person, the entrant must be authorised in writing by all creators of the work, to submit the work in accordance with these conditions.
19. At the conclusion of the finalist exhibition the artwork (other than the winner and any sold during the course of the exhibition) will be returned to the entrant at the entrant expense.
20. At the close of the finalist exhibition, if the entrant fails to either pick up the work of arrange for its transport by the 23 December 2022, MAC yapang will notify the entrant in writing to the last known address of its intention to sell or otherwise dispose of the artwork by 6 February 2023.
21. MAC yapang will use its best endeavours to ensure their partners and sponsors comply with these terms and conditions.

If the artwork is selected as The Lake Art Prize winner or for Highly Commended Acquisition:

1.  The artist’s sale price (ex GST) is the acquisitive prize paid for the work and must be $25,000 or less. If the winning artwork’s artist’s sale price is less than $25,000, the judging panel may select another work for acquisition. Therefore, there may be more than one work acquired for the finalist exhibition, but only one winner.
2. The artists of the winning Lake Art Prize artwork and of any other acquired artworks agree to grant MAC yapang a non commercial Sole Licence to reproduce their work in material form for prize related purposes and for the promotion of the MAC yapang collection. The winning artist(s) agree and understand that their artwork will become a part of the  MAC yapang  Visual Arts Collection at no additional cost.
3. Artists are encouraged by MAC yapang to seek independent legal advice regarding entering the Lake Art Prize, including any tax implications.
4. Where reasonable and if given reasonable notice the artist agrees to be available for promotion and publicity related to the winner announcement and finalist exhibition, or advise MAC yapang if assistance may be required.