2018 Napier Waller Art Prize

The 2018 Napier Waller Art Prize was open to all current and former service personnel in the Australian Defence Force. 

2018 was the inaugural year of the prize. A shortlist of 35 finalist works from over 100  entries selected by a panel of art professionals from the Australian War Memorial were displayed online. All shortlisted artists were eligible for the People’s Choice Award, a cash prize of $5,000, which was awarded to Ian Cook for his work Mates, for life (2018).

Twelve artworks were selected from the finalist shortlist and awarded Highly Commended. The Highly Commended works were exhibited at the Memorial from 20 September to 25 November 2018, from which the winner, Green on blue: the betrayal of trust by Rob Douma was selected.

2018 Judges

• Dr Brendan Nelson AO, Director of the Australian War Memorial
• Mr Kerry Stokes AC, Chairman of Council, Australian War Memorial and Ms Christine Simpson Stokes
• Mr Ben Quilty, former Australian official war artist
• Dr Gerard Vaughan AM, former Director, National Gallery of Australia
• Distinguished Professor Jen Webb, Director of the Centre for Creative and Cultural Practice Faculty of Arts and Design, University of Canberra
• General Angus Campbell, Chief of the Defence Force
• Gary Dawson, Vice President, Strategy, Thales Australia
• Laura Webster, Head of Art, Australian War Memorial

The Napier Waller Art Prize is run in partnership with the University of Canberra, Thales Australia, The Road Home, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.