2023 National Youth Art Awards

The National Youth Art Awards 2023 is hosted by the Waikato Society of Arts. The exhibition will be held at blue Gallery, 3 Anzac Parade, Hamilton with the Opening night on Friday, 28 July 2023. All mediums are encouraged to enter from ages 13 years to 25 years in 3 age categories. 13-14, 15-19 and 20-25 years.

Prizes are on the offline entry form below.

Please enter online, attach good quality images of your work and make sure you fill in all sections of the entry.

Check out this document for lots of useful tips towards exhibiting: Preparing your work for Exhibition

Award Dates

Entries close 18 June 2023 All entrants notified as Finalists or not 27 June 2023 Delivery of artwork no later than 24 July 2023 Opening and Awards evening 28 July 2023 5.30-7.30pm Exhibition dates 29 July – 13 August 2023

Award Prizes

This Year's Judge:

Introducing our two Judges for the NZPPA 2023.
  Hollie Tawhaio-   Ko Taupiri tōku maunga. Ko Waikato tōku awa. Ko Tainui tōku waka. Ko Ngāti Tiipa tōku hapū. Ko Te Kotahitanga, Maurea nga marae. Ko Tapaue rāua ko Teresa ōku matua. Ko Hollie Tuhi Mareikura Tawhiao ahau. Nō kirikiriroa au.   I am a Kirikiriroa based multidisciplinary artist, writer, and toi advocate. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Hons) from Elam, Post Graduate Diploma (Dist) in Museum Studies from Massey University and am currently completing my Masters in Contemporary Art with Wintec | Te Pūkenga under the supervision of Leafa Wilson and Tony Nicholls. I am currently Kaitiaki Mātangireia at the University of Waikato. My art practice stems from my lifetime of living with and learning toi whakairo in my father’s shed and from the unwavering support of my whānau. Currently my research looks at the development of our toi from the perspective of cumulative cultural evolution and the reality that our current practices as they stand are the foundation of future movements that could influence artistic and sociological cultural shifts. I enjoy exploring intangible boundaries, assumptions and conveniences and pulling them to the fore to reflect on the way they shape our experience and what they say about who we are.                                         Tonia Geddes – is the director of the Wallace Gallery in Morrinsville with many years prior experience teaching Visual Art at secondary school level. She holds a BFA from Canterbury University and was recently a finalist in the Molly Morpeth Canaday 3D Award 2022, the 2021 Fieldays No.8 Wire Competition and the 2020 NZ Painting and Printmaking Award. Tonia’s art practice includes both printmaking and painting and she has recently created ceramic pieces, as one half of Memento Mori Ceramics, for New Zealand film projects.

Hollie Tawhaio and Tonia Geddes

Apply Online

i.e. Power source, plinth

I.e. Drawing, Painting, Illustration, Sculpture, Digital, Photograph, Mixed Media

(max file size 256 MB)

(max file size 256 MB)

(max file size 256 MB)

Is there anything you would like to say about your artwork?

Please upload a copy of a valid ID that shows date of birth

(max file size 256 MB)

I consent to WSA collecting the contact details provided above. I understand that my entry fee entitles me to WSA membership if requested and that WSA may retain and use these details for the purposes of communicating with members. This consent is given in accordance with the Privacy Act 1993. I have read the entry conditions attached and agree to abide by them. The submitted entry is my own work and not copied from the work of another artist. I agree to the work being reproduced for the purposes of promotion from time to time.