Napier Waller Art Prize

The Napier Waller Art Prize is open to all current and former service personnel in the Australian Defence Force. The prize encourages artistic excellence, promotes the transformative power of creativity, and raises awareness of the experiences and talent of service personnel.

Initiated in 2018, the Napier Waller Art Prize was named after Mervyn Napier Waller, an Australian artist who enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in August 1915. In May 1917 he was wounded in the right arm while serving with the 11th Field Artillery Brigade during the fighting at Bullecourt. His arm was later amputated, and during his convalescence he learned to write and draw with his left hand, saying, “an artist draws with his head, not his hands”. In 1937 Waller was chosen to create the mosaics and stained glass windows in the Australian War Memorial’s Hall of Memory.

An exhibition of Highly Commended works will be on display at Australian Parliament House from 18 June – 20 November 2022.
An online exhibition of all shortlisted works will be launched on the Memorial’s website.

Learn more about the Napier Waller Art Prize
Open Information

Serving personnel and veterans are invited to enter an original artwork and artist statement. Each year, entries are judged by a panel of art experts and professionals, and a winning artwork selected on merit. Entries using diverse artistic media and original concepts are encouraged.

The winning work is accessioned into the Australian War Memorial collection, with the winning artist receiving a $10,000 cash prize. The winning entrant will also receive the opportunity to undertake residency program, organised by the Art Section at the Memorial. Finalists’ works are displayed on the Australian War Memorial’s website for the general public to vote for the People’s Choice award, the winner of which will receive $5,000.

The judging panel the 2022 Napier Waller Art Prize consisted of General Angus Campbell AO DSC, Chief of the Defence Force; Matt Anderson, PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial; Laura Webster, Head of Art, Australian War Memorial; Professor Paddy Nixon, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University, University of Canberra; eX de Medici, former Official War Artist; Dr Deborah Hart, Henry Dalrymple Head Curator, Australian Art, National Gallery of Australia; Fiona Borthwick, Senior Curator, Centre for Creative Health, Hospital Research Foundation and Gary Dawson, Vice President – Strategy, Thales Australia.

“The way she’s been received has been better than I could have ever dreamed ... She’s exactly what I needed her to be and what I wanted her to be.”

Anneke Jamieson, Winner, 2022 Napier Waller Art Prize