The Portia Geach Memorial Award is Australia’s most prestigious art prize for portraiture by women artists.
The Award was established by the will of the late Florence Kate Geach in memory of her sister, Portia Geach. The non-acquisitive award of $30,000 is awarded by the Trustee for the entry which is of the highest artistic merit, ‘…for the best portrait painted from life of some man or woman distinguished in Art, Letters, or the Sciences by any female artist resident in Australia during the twelve months preceding the close date for entries.’*
Entries to the 2023 Portia Geach Memorial Award close at midnight Friday 15 September
Application entries are accepted online only.
Finalists are eligible for the $1,000 People’s Choice Award given in memory of Harry & Winifred Macorison by Dr Heather Macorison & Hilary Macorison.
To enter artists need to supply:
- A high-res image of their completed work max 2MB in .jpeg or .tiff format
- A 200 word artists statement about the work in Microsoft Word or PDF format
- A signed statement by the sitter
Please note that entrants are unable to save incomplete applications and retrieve them at a later date. If entrants choose to leave a form incomplete they will be prompted to start a new form when next applying.
All applications are judged via online visual submissions.
To enter the Portia Geach Memorial Award you must read the Terms and Conditions here
* The bequest stipulates that entry is open to Australian citizens & British-born Australian residents, who have resided in Australia during the preceding twelve months. Permanent residents are ineligible to enter.
Award Administrator
Award Trustee
WINNERS – PORTIA GEACH MEMORIAL AWARD
2016 – Jenny Rodgerson, Bound by the big red coat
2015 – Natasha Bieniek, Sahara (self portrait)
2014- Sophie Cape, Romper stomper
2013 – Helene Grove, Self portrait getting on
2012 – Sally Robinson, The artist’s mother
2011 – Kate Stevens, Indian dream
2010 – Prudence Flint, Scrambled egg
2009 – Christine Hiller, The Old Painter
2008 – Jude Rae, Self Portrait 2008 (The Year My Husband Left)
2007 – Maryanne Coutts, Melbourne
2006 – Lucy Culliton, Self with friends
2005 – Jude Rae, Large Interior (Micky Allan)
2004 – Nerissa Lea, The Sheik & Me, Self Portrait with Imagined Portrait of Chad Morgan after Frida Kahlo
2003 – Wendy Sharpe, Self Portrait with Tea Cup and Burning Paintings
2002 – Vicki Varvaressos, Self Portrait with Painting
2001 – Mary Moore, At Home
2000 – Nancy Borlase, The Sisters: Marie and Vida Breckenridge
1999 – Kim Spooner, Social Currency (Eva Cox)
1998 – Anita Rezevska, Self Portrait – Woman from Riga
1997 – Maria Isabel, Cruz Maria
1996 – Su Baker, Self Portrait at Six Paces
1995 – Wendy Sharpe, Self Portrait with Students, After Adelaide Labille-Guiard
1994 – Jenny Sages, Ann Thomson
1993 – Aileen Rogers, Suzanne Mourot
1992 – Jenny Sages,Nancy Borlase and Laurie Short
1991 – Rosemary Valadon, Frances Joseph
1990 – Jenny Watson, Self Portrait
1989 – Jenny Sands, Alex Karpin
1988 – Margaret Ackland, Shay Docking
1987 – Christine Hiller, Self Portrait
1986 – Christine Hiller, Self Portrait
1985 – Gwen Eichler, Dianne Fogwell
1984 – Margaret Woodward, Madeleine Halliday
1983 – Margaret Woodward, Self Portrait
1982 – Brenda Humble, Virginia Hall
1981 – Susan Howard, Jenny Kee
1980 – Judy Pennefather, Venie Schulenberg
1979 – Ivy Shore, Kondelea (Della) Elliott
1978 – Dora Toovey, Senator Neville Bonner
1977 – Ena Joyce, George Lawrence
1976 – Jocelyn Maughan, George Bouckley
1975 – Mary Brady, Elizabeth Rooney
1974 – Lesley H Pockley, Hugh Paget
1973 – Sylvia Tiarks, Self Portrait
1972 – Elisabeth Cummings, Jean Appleton
1971 – Mary Brady, Larry Sitsky
1970 – Dora Toovey, Self Portrait in Landscape
1969 – Vaike Liibus, Guy Warren
1968 – Bettina McMahon, Self Portrait
1967 – Jo Caddy, Laurence Davis
1966 – Mary Brady, Grahame Egor
1965 – Jean Appleton, Self Portrait