About

The Melbourne Prize Trust and Annual Melbourne Prize

Launched in 2004, the Melbourne Prize Trust recognises and rewards excellence and talent, inspires creative development and enriches public life by providing career development opportunities to Victorian sculptors, writers and musicians.

The Trust achieves these aims by running the annual Melbourne Prize, which is one of the most valuable arts prizes in Australia. Now in its 18th year, the Prize is funded by a collaboration of private and public sector partnerships.

To date, approximately $1.8 million has been made available to Victorian artists via the annual Melbourne Prize, plus exhibitions, residencies and travel. The Trust is an Income Exempt Charity with Deductible Gift Recipient status.

The annual Melbourne Prize is one of the most valuable creative development initiatives of its kind in Australia and runs in a three-year cycle.

The current cycle is:

• Melbourne Prize for Literature 2021
• Melbourne Prize for Music 2022
• Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2023

The annual Melbourne Prize is unique, celebrating artistic excellence under the banner of Melbourne – Australia’s cultural capital.

The annual Melbourne Prize announcement are made through this website, along with an event held at Federation Square each November. A digital catalogue is produced for the November awards and the public has the ability to vote for a finalist to win the Civic Choice Award.

The annual Melbourne Prize increases the public’s exposure and access to the creativity of our community and enhances Melbourne’s reputation as a cultural capital and center of opportunity for artists.

The origins of the Trust date back to the establishment of the children’s garden precinct at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne and the commissioning of The Magic Pudding sculpture in 2000. Proceeds from the sale of limited edition miniatures of this landmark sculpture contribute to the Trust.

Please visit melbourneprizetrust.org

The 2022 design and identity is by www.playgroundstudio.com.au

Sarah Kempson manages the social media for the annual Melbourne Prize. Susan Owens manages Twitter for the Prize.

 

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 Committee for Melbourne.

 

The Magic Pudding Miniatures

A small number of the limited edition of 75 are still available – once sold out they cannot be reproduced.

A limited edition hand-made edition of solid bronze 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 are made under copyright from the Norman Lindsay Family and celebrate 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[a]melbourneprizetrust.org