The Bennett Prize 5
Submit 3-5 paintings plus one detail image (4-6 images total) for a biennial grant supporting women figurative realist painters.
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Get matched →- Deadline
- 39 days left
- Entry fee
- $50
- Award
- $75,000
- Location
- Muskegon, Michigan
- Exhibition window
- May 20, 2027 → Aug 22, 2027
- Applicants notified
- May 20, 2027
About
Overview
The Bennett Prize is a biennial stipend/grant-in-aid program supporting women painters working in figurative realism. The first-place winner receives $75,000 over two consecutive years ($37,500 annually). Ten finalists will be selected for a traveling exhibition organized by the Muskegon Museum of Art, with the winner showcased in a solo exhibition at the close of the grant. A runner-up award of $10,000 is given to one additional finalist.
Key Dates
- Submission deadline: 11:59 PM MST September 19, 2026
- Opening exhibition: May 20 - August 22, 2027 at Muskegon Museum of Art
- Winner announcement: May 20, 2027
- Solo Prize exhibition opening: May 2029
Eligibility
- Must not be a full- or part-time student between September 19, 2026 and May 20, 2027 (for finalists)
- Winner must not be a full- or part-time student from May 20, 2027 through opening of solo exhibition in May 2029
- Have not received prior awards or grants of $35,000 or more
- Have not sold any single work of art for $35,000 or more
- Must participate in exhibitions and attend opening events
- Works must be available for exhibition February 12, 2027 through September 2029
Media & Subject Matter
Paintings must depict representational images of one or more figures of any gender. Figures may be clothed or nude and do not need to be photorealistic. All entries must be traditional paintings (paint upon a two-dimensional surface). Watercolor, gouache, and pastels are considered paint. Mixed media pieces are acceptable as long as paint is the primary material. Paintings rendered over photographic images are NOT eligible. Only original works completed within the past five years are eligible.
Submission Requirements
- Minimum 3 pieces + 1 detail image required
- Maximum 5 paintings + 1 detail image
- Total of 4 to 6 images
- Each artist may submit up to 5 paintings for consideration
Contact
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 231-720-2583
- Website: www.thebennettprize.org
- Award
- First place prize of $75,000 over two consecutive years ($37,500 annually); Runner-up award of $10,000; Solo exhibition for winner; Traveling exhibition for 10 finalists
- Entries per artist
- Up to 5
- Theme
- Figurative realism paintings depicting one or more human figures of any gender, clothed or nude, completed within the past five years.
- Eligibility
- Open to women 18+ residing at least part-time in the United States whose primary practice is figurative realism painting, with active U.S. studio practice; must not be a full- or part-time student through May 20, 2027 (finalists) or May 2029 (winner); must not have received prior awards/grants of $35,000+ or sold any single work for $35,000+.
- Audience
- Women 18 years or older pursuing or hoping to pursue a career as full-time painters
- Contact
- [email protected]
Every listing links to the organizer's official page. Always confirm deadlines, fees, and entry rules there before you apply.