About

THE MELBOURNE PRIZE TRUST AND ANNUAL MELBOURNE PRIZE

The Melbourne Prize Trust, established in 2005, runs the annual Melbourne Prize, which, through community partnerships, provides financial and professional development opportunities to artists. The annual Melbourne Prize operates in a three-year cycle as follows:

/ Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2020
/ Melbourne Prize for Literature 2021
/ Melbourne Prize for Music 2022

The Trust has three objectives, which are met by running the annual Melbourne Prize:

/ to recognise and reward excellence and talent;
/ to inspire creative development;
/ to enrich public life.

The annual Melbourne Prize is run as a competition each year according to the cycle. Please click here for information on the current annual Melbourne Prize. The competition is run in the first half of the year and the finalist exhibition is run in November at Federation Square.

The Melbourne Prize Trust is an Income Tax Exempt Charity listed on the Australian Federal Government’s Register of Cultural Organisations with Deductible Gift Recipient Status.

HISTORY

The Melbourne Prize Trust was established as an Income Tax Exempt Charity and Deductible Gift Recipient in 2005 and commenced the annual Melbourne Prize in 2005. The founder of the Trust, Simon Warrender, announced the annual Melbourne Prize, following the unveiling of his project being the commissioning of The Magic Pudding sculpture, as a centerpiece of a new children’s garden precinct in Melbourne’s CBD. The prize is established to provide opportunities for artists and recognise and reward excellence and talent, inspire creative development and enrich public life.

The first three year cycle of the annual Melbourne Prize commenced with the Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2005. The Trust funds the annual Melbourne Prize through cross-sector partnerships from the government and private sectors, and private patrons. The annual Melbourne Prize is open to Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents and residents of the State of Victoria. The home of the annual Melbourne Prize is Federation Square, where an exhibition of finalists, according to each cycle, is held each November. All recipients are announced on this website.

The annual Melbourne Prize was founded by Simon Warrender with the foundation assistance of the Committee for Melbourne.

THE MAGIC PUDDING MINIATURES

A special 100th anniversary edition of miniatures, of the Royal Botanic Garden’s sculpture of The Magic Pudding by Louis Laumen, are available exclusively through the Melbourne Prize Trust in Melbourne. To order your miniature email us. The special edition miniatures celebrate the 100th anniversary of the classic Australia storybook. Proceeds from the sale of the miniatures contribute to the Melbourne Prize Trust and annual Melbourne Prize.

DONATIONS

Donate to the tax-deductible Melbourne Prize Trust to support the annual Melbourne Prize, which provides financial and career development opportunities to Victorian sculptors, writers and musicians.  The Trust is listed on the Register of Cultural Organisations and is a Deductible Gift Recipient.

For more information about making a tax-deductible donation to the Melbourne Prize Trust, please email shwarrender@melbourneprizetrust.org