Tace Stevens is a Noongar and Spinifex visual storyteller based in Perth / Boorloo. She is a self-taught documentary photographer with a film degree from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS).
The announcement was made on the evening of 30 August at the official opening of the finalist exhibition at Tweed Regional Gallery.
The event was attended by many of this year's finalists who travelled from across the country to join the celebrations.
Stevens' portrait Uncle Bill was selected as the winning portrait from a field of 65 finalists, including emerging and established photographers from across Australia. Stevens is the 13th artist to win the Award, which was first presented in 2005.
The Award was judged by Sally McInerney, photographer and daughter of Olive Cotton; Glenn Iseger-Pilkington (Nhanda Yamatji and Noongar Peoples) Director, Content, Strategy & Partnerships for the Aboriginal Cultural Centre project, WA; Angela Connor, Senior Curator, Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh), VIC; and Shaune Lakin, Senior Curator, Photography, National Gallery of Australia (NGA), ACT.
All 4 judges visited the Gallery on Friday 29 August to view the exhibition before making their final decision.
The decision was a unanimous choice amongst the judges who noted:
"Tace Stevens' Uncle Bill delivers a compelling, deeply moving and complex work that comes from a significant series documenting the lived experience of Aboriginal men from Kinchela Boys Home.
"The feeling of perfect accord between the subject and the photographer renders a warmth to the portrait. The work offers a depth and nuance, reflecting Uncle Bill's lived experience, one that connects him to a much larger group of Aboriginal men and woman, known collectively as the Stolen Generations".
Judges also highly commended Shea Kirk, Hilary Wardhaugh, Ayman Kaake, and Simon Harsent.
Thanks to the generosity of the Friends of Tweed Regional Gallery and Margaret Olley Art Centre Inc., Shea Kirk's Jack Mannix (right view) 2024, half of a stereoscopic pair from his ongoing project Vantages, was acquired for the Gallery's collection, with Director Ingrid Hedgcock awarding it the 2025 Director's Choice Award.
Visitors to the Olive Cotton Award exhibition can cast their own vote in the People's Choice Award. The eligible finalist with the most votes will receive $1500. The winner will be announced following the close of the exhibition.
Since its inception in 2005, the Olive Cotton Award has evolved into one of the nation's most prestigious awards for photographic portraiture. The Award is funded by Olive Cotton's family and dedicated to her legacy as one of Australia's leading 20th-century photographers.
Now in its 20th year, the award continues to thrive, with a record-breaking 853 entries in 2025 demonstrating its enduring success.
The exhibition will run until 2 November 2025. The Gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm (closed Monday and Tuesday). Entry to the exhibition is free.
A full list of finalists is available on the Gallery's website at tweed.nsw.gov.au/OliveCotton.
