Introduction

1. The Len Fox Painting Award is a painting award and exhibition conducted by the Castlemaine Art Museum. The Len Fox Painting Award was initiated and funded by a bequest to the Castlemaine Art Gallery & Historical Museum Foundation by author, teacher and historian Len Fox (1905–2004) whose uncle was the Australian born impressionist painter Emanuel Phillips Fox. The award is for a painting in sympathy with the work of E. Phillips Fox. The value of the award is $50,000. The award is acquisitive: the winning artwork will become property of the Castlemaine Art Museum.
E. Phillips Fox (1865–1915)
When submitting your entry, it is important that the work engages with the legacy of E. Phillips Fox. Further information on E. P. Fox can be found via:
Australian Dictionary of Biography
National Gallery of Australia Collection
National Gallery of Victoria Collection
National Portrait Gallery

Eligibility

2. The award is open to artists residing in Australian (citizens of Australia or permanent residents).

3. Employees of Castlemaine Art Museum, the organisers, the judge and members of their immediate family are ineligible to enter.

Submitting an Entry

4. Entrants may submit for consideration one painting executed after 1 January 2022. The work must be the original work of the artist. The work must not exceed 2 metres in any direction including frame. The work must be suitably framed/ready for display, with appropriate fittings for hanging (i.e., D-rings), and clearly marked with the Artist’s name, address and title of work.

5. Digital images of the entered work should be no more than 5 megabytes (mb), saved as jpegs and able to be opened on PC format. Jpegs must be saved with the following details as the file name: Artist Surname_Artist First Name_Title_Year.jpeg (Example: Fox_EP_BathingHour_1909.jpeg). Physical slides, printed photographs, photocopied reproductions or any other representations of the work will not be accepted for consideration.

6. Entry fee is $50 incl. GST per entered work. Entry fee is non-refundable and covers administration and handling. Any entry not accompanied by payment of entry fee will be ineligible. Payment may be made via PayPal account or debit or credit card (via PayPal).

7. All entries must be submitted and received by 11:59pm Sunday, 4 August 2024. Entries must be submitted online via the form unless alternative arrangements have been made for access needs. Please contact anna.schwann@castlemaineartmuseum.org.au to arrange another method. Entries received after 11.59 pm Sunday 4 August will not be accepted. Entries must consist of a high-quality digital image, artist biography, artist statement on the artwork’s relationship to E. P. Fox, completed entry form and payment of entry fee. If selected as an exhibiting finalist, the artist statement and biography will be published as part of an extended label alongside the work on exhibition (note, edits may be required to accommodate label design).

Exhibition of Finalists

8. An award exhibition of shortlisted finalists will be held at Castlemaine Art Museum, 14 Lyttleton Street, Castlemaine, Victoria from Friday 27 September 2024 to Sunday 2 March 2025. The official exhibition opening event and prize announcement will be held on Friday 27 September 2024. Shortlisted finalists will be invited and are encouraged to attend.

9. Works chosen for the exhibition of finalists will be pre-selected from digital images submitted along with an entry form and artist statement. If selected as an exhibiting finalist, this will be published as part of an extended label alongside the work on exhibition (note, edits may be required to accommodate label design).

10. All artists will be informed of pre-selection outcome during the week of 5 August 2024. The Castlemaine Art Museum will retain selected artists’ visual material until the close of the exhibition.

11. Works selected for exhibition must be delivered to the Castlemaine Art Museum between 12–15 September (between 12pm and 4pm). Works must be delivered to the Gallery no later than 4pm Sunday 15 September. Works will be stored at the Gallery until the installation of the exhibition and remain on display throughout the exhibition period. After the exhibition, artists are responsible for the collection of their work between 6–9 March 2025 (between 12pm and 4pm).

12. Freight of artwork. Artists are responsible for the delivery and collection of their artwork from the Castlemaine Art Museum. Artwork will not be accepted unless delivered and returned free of all freight and other charges. If an artist should fail or omit to remove/collect their work from 6–9 March 2025, the Gallery will send a notice via email to the artist, at the last known address, of its intention to sell or otherwise dispose of such work, or in the event of no address being known to the Gallery, then one month after advertising such notice of intention via Castlemaine Art Museum’s social media networks, may sell or dispose of such work. After deducting the incidental costs of the sale, the balance will be held for the artist. Provided however, that in the event of such work being in the opinion of the Gallery unsaleable, then the Gallery may in lieu of selling the same, destroy or otherwise dispose in such a manner as it may deem fit and thereafter the gallery shall be under no liability whatever to the artist in respect of any work so destroyed or disposed of. All care will be taken; however, the gallery will not be responsible for any loss or damage caused. Freight and insurance are the responsibility of the artist.

13. All works must be well packed and clearly labelled with artist’s name, address, title of work, and clear installation requirements included (if applicable). Works must be packed in such a way that the work can be unpacked efficiently and repacked in the same way for return at the end of the exhibition. It is intended that the works selected will be shown in exhibition at the Gallery. Should space prevent the display of work, the Gallery will advise the entrant.

14. All entries selected for the exhibition must be available for continuous display at the Gallery for the period of the exhibition. Artists and/or representatives cannot remove an artwork from display prior to Sunday 2 March 2025. All artwork must be collected no later than 2 March 2025 unless return postage or alternate delivery at the artists cost is specified and confirmed with the prize administrator.

15. The Gallery will not be responsible for any loss or damage suffered to any work in its possession or under its control and each entrant shall indemnify the Gallery against loss or damage suffered to his or her work. Works will not be insured by the Gallery.

16. The Gallery will not be responsible for the sale of artworks during the exhibition period. Any enquiries regarding sale of work will be directed to the artist and/or dealer. Contact details of the gallery/dealer must be provided on your entry form.

17. Artists selected for exhibition will allow their works to be reproduced in print and electronic media in the advertising and promotion of the award/exhibition and in any catalogue, publication or merchandise connected with the exhibition. The Gallery reserves the right to reproduce the winning entry in publications in relation to the Award.

Selection of the Winning Artwork

18. The judges of the award are John Wolseley and Emma Busowsky, with non-voting Chair Naomi Cass.

19. The judge will select one winning work from the exhibition of selected finalists. The judge reserves the right not to select any work if works are not, in their opinion of sufficient merit. The Gallery has the right to refuse to display any entry.

20. The judge’s decision will be final, and no correspondence will be entered into.

Privacy of Information

21. All personal information gathered by the Castlemaine Art Museum will be used solely for the purpose of administering the Award. Visit the 2024 Len Fox Painting Award webpage for further details.

IMPORTANT DATES

Entries Open: 14 May 2024
Entries Close: 4 August 2024
Selected Finalists Notified: Mid/Late August
Finalists to Deliver Work to Castlemaine Art Museum: From 12 – 15 September (Between 12pm and 4pm)
Exhibition Dates: 27 September 2024 – 2 March 2025
Official Opening and Prize Announcement at CAM: 27 September 2024
Announcement of People’s Choice: 2 March 2025
Collection of Works: 6 – 9 March 2025 (Between 12pm and 4pm)