Join the Directors and Friends of the Manning Regional Art Gallery on Saturday 19 July at 6.30pm for the Gala Opening and the announcement of the winner of the $40,000 major prize.
The theme Naked & Nude refers to both the tradition of the nude human form in art history as well as a wider meaning that something is revealed or vulnerable.
The prize is open in a variety of mediums and is the only one of its kind in Australia, attracting a wide variety of artists to enter their artworks this year.
"We are excited to announce Susi Muddiman OAM, will be this year's guest judge", said MidCoast Council's Manning Regional Art Gallery Director, Rachel Piercy.
Susi has enjoyed a successful career in the arts sector and has over 25 years' experience as a Director of leading regional galleries, including Grafton Regional Gallery, Wagga Wagga Regional Gallery, Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre, and more recently, HOTA Gallery, Home of the Arts in Surfers Paradise.
This year's exhibition features 61 finalists from almost 500 entries, from across the country, including strong representation from the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions.
This year's 61 finalists of the Naked & Nude Art Prize 2025 are:
Margaret Ambridge, Terence Beer, Peter Berner Stephen Bird, Matt Butterworth, Daniel Butterworth, Martina Clarke, Robbie Crane, Dagmar Cyrulla, Ryan William Daffurn, Rebecca Dagnall, Tamara Dean, Jen Delirium, Monika Viktoria Diak, Sharon Duymel, Kris-Ann Ehrich, Jo Ernst, Nic Fern, Ray Fritz, Todd Fuller, James Guppy, Tess Hagan, Tannya Harricks, Jennifer Huang, Julie Hutchings, Dianne Ingram, Conor Knight, Anna Lloyd-Parker, Yianni Maggacis, Jocelyn Maughan, Ray Monde, Freyja Moon, Andrew Nicholls, Shea O'Keefe, Nicole O'Regan, Mica Pillemer, Matthew Quick, Jasmine Raisbeck, Craig Renneberg, Robyn Rich, Gwen Roberts, Jenny Rodgerson, Mark Rowden, Bruce Rowland, Linda M Schneider, Naomie Shepherd, Andrew Shillam, Lauri Smith, Steve Starr, Alex Thorby, David Tucker, Louise Vadasz, Elena Valimberti, John Van Der Kolk, Julie Vinci, Laine Walker, Ewen Welsh, Joe Whyte, Marcus Wills, Madeleine Winch; Narelle Zeller.
The winner will be announced at the Gala opening on Saturday 19 July. Tickets can be purchased at https://bit.ly/445paU1
"The Biennale Naked & Nude Art Prize is a much-valued partnership between Friends of the Manning Regional Art Gallery and the Manning Regional Art Gallery," Ms Piercy said.
"After 35 years, it has become a prestigious national event on the Australian Arts calendar."
The winning entry is acquired by the Friends of the Manning Regional Art Gallery and donated to the permanent collection. Without generous gifts from all the gallery's supporters, the Friends of the Manning Regional Art Gallery could not present the Naked & Nude Art Prize to the MidCoast community.
