Based at the Art Gallery of South Australia The Ramsay Art Prize aims to change the way we view artists under 40 years of age and value their work in the context of contemporary art.

Supported by the James & Diana Ramsay Foundation in perpetuity, the AUD$100,000 acquisitive prize will be awarded to one of the 21 finalists selected by an international judging panel.

The prize is open to artists working in any medium and is held every two years.  Selected works will be included in a major exhibition at the Art Gallery of South Australia opening 26 May and running until 27 August.  The winner will be announced on the evening of 26 May.

According to Nick Mitzevich, Director of the Art Gallery of South Australia, the Ramsay Art Prize is a showcase of artists “at pivotal moments in their careers” who “have the potential to change the course of Australian art.’

The 2017 Ramsay Art Prize finalist exhibition will be complemented with a People’s Choice Prize supported by sponsor Lipman Karas. The People’s Choice Prize is a non-acquisitive cash prize of AUD$15,000 chosen by a public vote. 

The twenty-one finalists selected for 2017 Ramsay Art Prize are Tony Albert, UNSW Art & Design graduate (NSW), Khadim Ali, UNSW Art & Design graduate (NSW), Jacobus Capone (WA), Celeste Chandler (VIC), Sarah Contos, UNSW Art & Design graduate (NSW), Georgina Cue (VIC), Keg de Souza, UNSW Art & Design graduate (NSW), Julie Fragar (QLD), Teelah George (WA), Natalya Hughes, UNSW Art & Design graduate (NSW), Trent Jansen, UNSW Art & Design graduate (NSW), Ash Keating (VIC), Owen Leong, UNSW Art & Design graduate (NSW), Vincent Namatjira (SA), Joey Nganjmirra (NT), Baden Pailthorpe UNSW Art & Design graduate (NSW), Clare Peake (WA), Jason Phu, UNSW Art & Design graduate (NSW), Rebecca Selleck (ACT), James Tylor (SA) and Justine Varga (NSW).