Dobell Drawing Prize #23 

The Dobell Drawing Prize is an unparalleled celebration of drawing technique and innovation. This National Art School touring exhibition showcases 45 of the 64 finalists from the 2023 Prize and includes Jane Grealey’s winning work. Presenting a range of material approaches – from video and to ash, charcoal, ink and watercolour – the exhibition demonstrates the remarkable vitality and scope of contemporary Australian drawing.

William Dobell’s love of drawing was recognised in 1993 when the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation (SWDAF) initiated a drawing prize in his name at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. For twenty years, the annual Dobell Prize for Drawing encouraged excellence in drawing and draughtsmanship among Australian artists. Past winners include Kevin Connor, David Fairbairn, Virginia Grayson, Nicholas Harding, Ann Pollak, Gareth Sansom, Jan Senbergs, Garry Shead and Aida Tomescu.

Building on the legacy of this respected award, the National Art School partnered with the SWDAF in 2019 to produce the biennial Dobell Drawing Prize. This new competition preserves an important attribute of the original prize, by not stipulating what a drawing is in the terms and conditions of entry. This allows definitions of drawing to shift and evolve with each exhibition, depending on the entries of the artists and the perspectives of the judges. The Dobell Drawing Prize #23 – the 23rd exhibition in the Prize’s storied history – continues this tradition of fostering conversations around the changing role of drawing within contemporary art practice.

Opening Event, 5.30-7.30pm, Fri 09 May 2025. 

FREE Event. All Welcome.