Submissions open for $10,000 1858 Prize

Prize honors contemporary Southern art

Submissions open Aug. 1 through Oct. 1, 2019


The Gibbes Museum of Art is pleased to announce the 2019 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art.

Each year, the 1858 Prize is presented by Society 1858, a member auxiliary group of the Gibbes Museum of Art comprised of young professionals. The $10,000 cash prize is awarded to one artist whose work demonstrates the highest level of artistic achievement in any media, while contributing to a new understanding of art in the South. Past winners include Leo Twiggs (2018), Bo Bartlett (2017), Alicia Henry (2016), Deborah Luster (2015), Sonya Clark (2014), John Westmark (2012), Patrick Dougherty (2011), and Radcliffe Bailey (2010). Submissions for 2019 will be accepted online at www.1858prize.org from Aug. 1-Oct. 1, 2019.

“For more than 10 years, Society 1858 has celebrated a diverse number of southern artists through the 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art,” says Molly Waring, President of Society 1858. “This year, we are pleased to announce the call for submissions to help further our mission of supporting contemporary artists from the south whose works present a new understanding of art in the region.”

Artists from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia are eligible to apply. All submissions are thoughtfully reviewed by a panel of visual arts professionals, Society 1858 representatives, and Gibbes Museum of Art staff members.

Artists must submit:

  • completed registration form
  • brief artist statement (150 words or less)
  • résumé or CV
  • portfolio of work (up to 10 images) including title, date, medium, and dimensions for each work
  • $25 non-refundable entry fee
  • submit at www.1858prize.org

For general questions about the 1858 Prize, please contact the Gibbes Museum of Art at 1858prize@gibbesmuseum.org
For technical support while submitting your application, please contact SlideRoom at support@slideroom.com

Finalists will be announced in October and the winner will be announced in fall 2019 on the 1858 Prize website and via press release. The winner will be celebrated at the Amy P. Coy Forum and Prize Party hosted by Society 1858 at the Gibbes on February 6 & 7, 2020 in Charleston.