Terms and Conditions of Entry

1. There is only one winner. The prize is $20,000. There will also be a runner-up prize of $7,500 and two merit awards of $1,000 each, at the discretion of the judge.

2. Entry is open to all permanent New Zealand residents and citizens, except those listed in 8.2 and 8.3 below.

3. All applications must be on the official online entry form. Please enter a separate entry form for each entry.

4. The entry fee is $50.00 per entry (non-refundable). Payment is made by credit card only. Details are on the online entry form.

5. All correspondence between the entrant and Te Whare Taonga o Waikato is private and confidential and will not be shared with third parties.

6. Te Whare Taonga o Waikato will not release any information supplied by an entrant to a third party without the prior permission of the entrant.

Submitting your entry gives the Museum your permission to supply your name and contact details to the media to promote the exhibition if you are selected as a finalist.

6.1 Award winners must make themselves available for marketing and promotion of the exhibition.

This may include being available for photography and media interviews at a time required by the media (e.g. live interviews may need to be conducted by telephone at a weekend).

7. Entrants must submit 1-5 images of their entry via the online entry form of a reasonable resolution quality.

Images must be high quality JPG file format 1-3MB and no smaller than 800px W x 600px H (the recommended size is 1280px W x 960px H).

At least one image must be of the entire work.

The images must not identify the artist/s.

Please note: submitted images of works selected as finalists will be used for promotion including the publication of the exhibition catalogue.

7.1 There is also an option on the entry form to load a link to a video/audio work (e.g. on YouTube or Vimeo). The video, and the account it is uploaded to, must not identify the artist/s.

7.2 Two statements are required to be submitted with the entry (refer 8.10). Neither of these can include references to the artist/s, such as biographical or résumé details.

7.3 Entries must not be derogatory towards Te Whare Taonga o Waikato, Hamilton City Council, the award sponsors, or any associated parties/partners of these organisations.

8. Artwork conditions of entry

8.1 All works are to be original. All submitters/entrants are to be the owner and creator/s of the work(s).

8.2 Employees and current contractors of Te Whare Taonga o Waikato, Hamilton City Council and the award sponsors are not eligible to enter.

8.3 Immediate family members and colleagues of the judge are not eligible to enter.

8.4 All entered works cannot have been previously exhibited or displayed. This includes digital presentation. The entry must be created for, and first viewed at, the 2025 National Contemporary Art Award.

8.5 Artwork should be robust. If artworks need to be maintained for the duration of the exhibition, it is the responsibility of the artist, and any required maintenance must be negotiated with Te Whare Taonga o Waikato if selected.

8.5.1 Artworks must be of a size and weight that enables them to fit into the Museum.

Goods lift capacity is 2.6m high, x 1.9m wide, x 4.5m long, with a 6120kg weight limit.

8.5.2 Hanging systems provided with the artwork must be appropriately rated for the artwork. While Te Whare Taonga o Waikato will prioritise the artists installation requirements, display needing adjustment for health and safety reasons will be communicated to the artist/s.

8.5.3 The maximum floor loading for an artwork in the gallery is 500kg per square metre.

8.6 Your entry cannot be changed or added to once submitted. This includes the work itself, and any supporting information supplied with the entry, including the Sale Price.

8.7 All artworks in their entirety must be exhibited for the duration of the exhibition. No component of the artwork may be removed or altered during this time.

8.8 All installation, maintenance and operational costs not covered by the normal exhibition services of Te Whare Taonga o Waikato, are the responsibility of the artist e.g. laptops / monitors / projectors etc.

8.9 Any exhibitor with an entry that has specific legal, environmental, safety or security applications to be met, shall undertake to carry out those procedures, and to meet the standards and policies of Te Whare Taonga o Waikato, prior to installation.

Please note: any electrical appliances must be tagged and tested.

8.10 The text provided with the entry will be the final and definitive statement about the work and will not be added to by the entrant.

Te Whare Taonga o Waikato reserves the right to edit the text for grammatical errors or to require the artist to make a change if the text is defamatory.

The artist statement has a strict 150-word limit and describes the intention, inspiration or ideas that inform your artwork.

The catalogue caption is an abbreviated version of the artist statement in 50 words or less, to go in the exhibition catalogue.

8.11 At no time prior to the award ceremony will the entrant be in communication with the judge in regards to their entry.

8.12 All artworks must be displayed within the Museum building or within the Museum grounds.

8.13 Artists who wish to install their artwork themselves must indicate this requirement in their application. Artists will be subject to the Museum’s Contractors Onsite Standard Operating Procedures and will be required to undergo a site induction. Artists must provide the Museum with a Job Safety Analysis for the installation of their artwork not later than two weeks prior to installation. Any people working for the artist will be deemed subcontractors to the artist and will also be subject to these terms.

8.14 Any damage to the Museum or its furnishings as a result of the actions of the artists, or their subcontractors, during installation, or deinstallation, of their artwork will be repaired by the museum, and the costs will be invoiced to the artist.

9. The judging process

9.1 Te Whare Taonga o Waikato reserves the right to select all/any works to be exhibited.

9.2 Finalists will be notified if their work has been selected in the week beginning Monday 26 May 2025.

9.3 Finalists may not publicly share any images of their selected work until after the exhibition opening award ceremony.

9.4 The winner will be announced on Thursday 31 July 2025 at the exhibition opening award ceremony.

9.5 The judge’s decision is final.

10. Documentation of finalist work

10.1 Finalists will receive an information pack via email in the week beginning Monday 26 May 2025.

10.2 All finalist work must be delivered or couriered with the following documentation securely fixed to the exterior of the package:

• Unpacking instructions
• Pre-paid courier tickets for the return at end of the exhibition (if applicable)
• Typed name and return address label A4 size
• Installation instructions
• List of all components of artwork

11. Exhibition opening and awards ceremony 

11.1 All finalists are invited to and expected to attend the exhibition opening and awards ceremony function on Thursday 31 July 2025 at the Museum.

11.2 If the artist is unable to attend, a representative is expected to attend in their place.

11.3 Dates, location and form of exhibition opening and awards ceremony function are subject to change. Te Whare Taonga o Waikato will notify finalists of any changes via email.

12. Sale of works

12.1 All entries are to be paid in NZ dollars.

12.2 All entries must be for sale.

The 'Artist Price' is to be shown on the entry form.

Te Whare Taonga o Waikato will receive a commission of 40% on all works sold plus 15% GST on the 40% commission = 46% total commission. 

The Artist Price (AP) must be the price you wish to receive for your artwork. To calculate the 'Catalogue Price' (CP) AP$ ÷ 0.54 = CP$, for example CP$1,000 (AP$540 + $460 commission).

12.3 If the artwork is sold, Te Whare Taonga o Waikato will pay the artist the Artist Price at the conclusion of the exhibition, or prior.

12.4 It is the entrant's responsibility to make their dealer or agent aware of their entry.

12.5 There are to be no sales prior to opening night.

12.6 All sold works will stay on display at Te Whare Taonga o Waikato for the entirety of the exhibition.

13. Key dates

13.1 Entries open Monday 3 March 2025 and close 1pm Thursday 1st May 2025.

13.2 Entrants will be advised if the judge has selected their work as a finalist via email the week beginning Monday 26 May 2025.

13.3 Finalists will be announced via a press release and social media the week beginning Monday 26 May 2025.

13.4 Finalist works are to arrive at Te Whare Taonga o Waikato between Monday 23 June to Thursday 26 June 2025 between 9am - 4pm.

13.5 Exhibition opening and award ceremony is on Thursday 31 July 2025. All finalists are invited to this event, and if unable to attend, have a representative attend in their place.

13.6 The exhibition will be held at Te Whare Taonga o Waikato from Friday 1 August to Sunday 16 November 2025.

13.7 Return and collection of unsold works from Te Whare Taonga o Waikato is between Tuesday 18 to Friday 21 November 2025.

13.8 Key dates are subject to change. Te Whare Taonga o Waikato will notify entrants of any changes via email.

14. Freight and delivery of finalist work

14.1 Te Whare Taonga o Waikato staff will take all care but accept no responsibility for any loss or damage or deterioration that may occur to entries while in transit or for the duration of the exhibition. Artists should arrange their own insurance for the duration of the exhibition.

14.2 Artworks must be securely packaged in reusable packing materials – suitable for the return of work to the artist. Your name, address, title and image of work must be adhered to the outside packaging for ease of identification.

14.3 All freight costs and safety of delivery of artworks to and from Te Whare Taonga o Waikato will be the sole responsibility of the artist. Should freighting issues arise and works do not arrive by the stated date and time, artworks will not be accepted.

14.4 All prepaid return freight labels must accompany the exhibit to the Museum. No entry will be accepted without these (unless arrangement has been agreed and guaranteed to be hand delivered/picked up). If your artwork is sold during the exhibition, your prepaid freight docket will be returned to you.

14.5 Prior to installation, an inspection of the artworks will be carried out by Te Whare Taonga o Waikato staff and any obvious marks, damage or flaws noted.

15. Use of images/text and correspondence after the exhibition

15.1 Te Whare Taonga o Waikato reserves the right to reproduce the exhibited works for advertising and marketing purposes of any form. There will be no entitlement to royalty or other payment for reproduction.

15.2 All correspondence pertaining to the National Contemporary Art Award after the closure of the exhibition is to be forwarded in writing to The Director, Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum and Gallery,  Private Bag 3010, Hamilton 3240 or emailed to museum@hcc.govt.nz.

15.3 All entrants are automatically added to Te Whare Taonga o Waikato’s database to receive information in the future on exhibitions, events and awards.

16. Return of artwork

16.1 Artworks may be collected from the trade entrance of the Museum between 10am and 4pm on Tuesday 18 to Friday 21 November 2025 inclusive.

16.2 Works will be despatched by Friday 21 November 2025 if a pre-paid courier has been supplied. Please contact the Collections Managers if you have any queries phone 07 838 6463.

16.3 Any works not collected by Friday 21 November 2025 will be disposed of.

17. Acceptance of terms and conditions

Entries cannot be accepted without acceptance of these terms and conditions. All enquiries regarding any of the conditions of entry can be emailed to museum@hcc.govt.nz.