Celebrating Artistic Excellence

WSA Awards

We celebrate and recognise the artistic excellence, achievement and contribution of artists working in many forms of art.

The Waikato Society of Arts runs three national awards. The NZ Painting and Printmaking Award (NZPPA) and the National Youth Art Awards (NYAA) are held annually, while the Small Sculpture Award (SSA) is held bi-annually.

Through strong support from sponsors attractive prize money is offered in each of these awards in a variety of mediums.

All awards are blind-judged by art experts in their fields. Entry to any of these awards is for NZ citizens living in NZ or overseas.

How to Enter Our Awards

National Youth Art Award

National Youth Art Awards is an annual competition, started in the year 2000, that showcases the creative talents of young artists aged 13-25 years old, in 3 age categories, across New Zealand. The awards are designed to encourage and celebrate the artistic achievements of students and emerging artists.

The competition includes all visual arts mediums, such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and digital art, with different prize levels, including first, merit and category awards. Young artists are invited to submit their work for consideration.

The submission process generally involves an online or physical application form, where participants provide details about their artwork, a brief artist statement, and any required images of their work. Submitted artworks are reviewed by a panel of judges, which may include professional artists, curators, and educators. Finalists and winners are featured in an exhibition at the Artspost galleries, allowing the public to view and appreciate the young artists’ work.

The awards provide a platform for emerging artists to gain recognition, receive feedback, and engage with the broader art community. It also helps to promote the importance of art education and creative expression among young people

NZ Painting and Printmaking Awards

The NZ Painting and Printmaking Awards has been hosted by WSA since 2000 and is a prestigious art competition on the New Zealand arts calendar, that recognises and celebrates excellence in the fields of painting and printmaking. These awards aim to promote New Zealand artists and their work, offering both visibility and financial support. The awards are open to New Zealand artists living within NZ and overseas.

Finalists are featured in an exhibition at Artspost galleries, Kirikiriroa, Hamilton, which provides a platform for the artists to showcase their work to the public and gain exposure. Winning or being shortlisted for these awards can significantly enhance an artist’s career by providing recognition, exposure, and financial support.

The awards contribute to the promotion and advancement of painting and printmaking in New Zealand, with strong sponsorship from the Print Council Aotearoa NZ.

Small Sculpture Awards

A bi-annual award to celebrate small sculptural works from NZ artists. The inaugural award was held in 2023 and judged by Andrea du Chatenier, pictured. Over 70 artists entered and a group of 23 were chosen for the finalist exhibition.

In 2025 this award will have a main sponsorship from Longveld, who like the WSA are committed to providing beautiful spaces of artwork for the community to enjoy. The exhibition is held at the Artspost galleries, Kirikiriroa, Hamilton.

Sponsorship & Support Opportunities

To make our artistic operations possible we have had the support and generosity of local business sponsorship and community funders.

Thank you to our supporters for making visual arts accessible to the community, a reality. If you would like to be a sponsor and support the WSA in its work then please get in touch and we would love to talk to you.

About Our Judges

We invite specialists in their fields to judge our national art awards and are always humbled by how giving they are with their expertise and time to do this. Our judges also give a floor talk on the Saturday after the awards opening and prize giving.