THE HYLTON MACKLEY AM VAS ARTIST OF THE YEAR AWARD SPONSORED BY THE MACKLEY FAMILY

The Hylton Mackley AM VAS Artist of the Year Award Sponsored by the Mackley Family showcases the year’s best artistic talent in painting and sculpture. Artists are selected based on participation in at least two of that year’s Select Exhibitions by the votes of their peers.

The Victorian Artists Society holds three Select Exhibitions throughout the year; the Autumn, Winter and Spring Exhibitions. All exhibiting artists in these three exhibitions and artist members are invited to cast votes for their four favourite artists. These votes are used to decide the list of candidates for the  Artist of the Year Award exhibition. The VAS AOTY is awarded to the artist gaining the most votes for the select exhibitions including the AOTY exhibition at the opening night award ceremony.

This award is unique as it is not awarded by a committee or judge, but by the peers of the winning artist and demands sustained performance over the exhibiting year. Invited artists may submit up to three works into the final exhibition.

The following prizes are given for the AOTY Award Exhibition:

The VAS Artist of the Year Award is sponsored by Eileen Mackley AM and Hylton Mackley AM.

Prize money for 2023 will be $10,000 with an increase in value to 2035 when the prize money is planned to reach circa $23,000.

In addition to the prize money the Artist of the Year will receive a trophy, a framed certificate, and an invitation to hold a solo exhibition in the Cato Gallery, with commission on sales.

Exhibitors’ Choice Award, sponsored by Noel Waite AO is a $500 prize awarded to the artist gaining the most votes from the exhibiting members who are exhibiting in the Mavis Little Artist of the Year exhibition.

The VAS Sculptor of the Year Award: a Stanley Hammond designed bronze,  one year VAS Membership and their name added to the perpetual trophy. This is awarded to the sculpture artist gaining the most votes for the select exhibitions.