Gibbes Museum of Art Accepting Online Entries for 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art
January 5, 2015
Charleston, SC – On January 1, 2015, submissions opened for the 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art. The prize awards $10,000 to an artist whose work contributes to a new understanding of art in the South. Presented annually, the prize recognizes the highest level of artistic achievement in any media, Artists from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Virginia are eligible to apply. Applications are accepted exclusively online at 1858prize.org through May 29, 2015.
2014 winner, Sonya Clark has had a whirlwind year. She was awarded the 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art in September and says, ““The legacy of the south is so much a part of the American story. As a first generation American, it was quite an honor to receive a prize celebrating southern artists. I’m especially honored because of the legacy of unnamed artists whose work and labor has not always been recognized historically.”
Unlike any other award of its type, the 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art is designed to create an online archive of information about Southern artists that can be used by curators, collectors, academicians, and the public. “We look forward to building upon last year’s incredible success as we launch the call for entries. It’s always great fun to review the submissions as they roll in, and I can’t wait to see what this year’s artists have in store for us,” says Gibbes Museum of Art, Curator of Exhibitions, Pam Wall.
Eligible artists are those who reside, work in, or The review panel will select the finalists in June 2015, and the Gibbes Museum of Art will announce the winner in September 2015.
About Society 1858
Is a group of dynamic young professionals who support the Gibbes Museum of Art with social and educational programs tailored for up-and-coming art patrons. Membership to Society 1858 is open to any member of the Gibbes Museum of Art. Society 1858 takes its name from the year that the Carolina Art Association was established. Although the Gibbes Museum of Art opened its doors in 1905, the museum’s art collection began in 1858. Society 1858 aims to continue the strong legacy of art appreciation in Charleston. Members of Society 1858 have access to private exhibition previews and receptions, invitations to social events throughout the year, and free or reduced admission to Society 1858’s exciting programs.
About Gibbes Museum of Art
Established as the Carolina Art Association in 1858, the Gibbes Museum of Art opened its doors to the public in 1905. In the fall of 2014,the Gibbes temporarily closed for major renovations and will reopen its doors in the spring of 2016. The renovation project is designed to showcase the museum’s collection, provide visitors with a history of American art from the early colonial era to the present, and engage the public with a center for education, artist studios, lecture and event space, a museum café, and store. During the renovation the museum will offer programs such as the Insider Art Series, Art With a Twist, Art of Healing, events including the Art of Design and annualGibbes on the Street Party, and educational offerings such as Art to Go and Eye Spy Art. Highlights of the Gibbes permanent collection can be viewed on Google Art Project at www.googleartproject.com.
