The 20th Wallace Art Awards 2011, with prizes amounting to over $165,000, were presented on Monday 5 September by Auckland Mayor Len Brown at The Pah Homestead, TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre. The Awards are the longest surviving and largest of their kind in New Zealand. They differ from other important New Zealand art prizes in that they aim to provide challenging opportunities and broadening experiences to the four major winners by way of residencies at top-class international institutions.

The Wallace Arts Trust received 559 entries from which 117 entries were selected as finalists. Sixty-one finalists were chosen for the Travelling Show and the balance was represented in the Salon des Refusés.  The Awards were judged by three distinguished New Zealand artists – Philip Trusttum, Sara Hughes and Peter Gibson-Smith.

THE 2011 WINNERS ARE:

Akiko Diegel
Wallace Arts Trust Paramount Award
Akiko receives a 6 month-residency at the International Studio and Curatorial Program in New York, USA.

Brydee Rood
Fulbright Wallace Trust Award
Brydee receives a 3 month-residency at the Headlands Center for the Arts in San Francisco, USA.

Matt Ellwood
The Kaipara Foundation Wallace Trust Award
Matt receives a 3 month-residency at the Altes Spital in Solothurn, Switzerland

Bronwynne Cornish
Wallace Development Award
Bronwynne receives a 2 month-residency at the Vermont Studio Center in Vermont, USA.

Emil McAvoy
Ist Runner Up Award
Emil is awarded $2,000 cash

Anita Levering
2nd Runner Up Award
Anita is awarded $2,000 cash 

Philip Dadson
Jury Award
This prize is non-monetary

The People’s Choice Award, worth $500, will be decided after the Travelling Exhibition has finished its leg at The Dowse on 4 December.

Emil McAvoy First Runner Up Award
	Emil McAvoy won with his work Helen. Emil receives $2,000.   Emil McAvoy Helen (2011) Archival pigment on Hahnemuehle paper Original source: photographer and date unknown National Publicity Studios Copyright Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kawanatanga Wellington, [AAQT, 6418, 29]
Anita Levering Second Runner Up Award
	Anita Levering won with her work Sap Green on Paynes Grey. Anita receives $2,000.   Anita Levering False Flat – Sap Green on Paynes Grey (2010) Acrylic and watercolour on linen
Philip Dadson Jury Award
	The Jury chose Philip Dadson’s Headstamps II: Homage to the Silk Road for special mention. Philip Dadson Headstamps II: Homage to the Silk Road (2011) DVD video/sound, 5.00 minutes

20th Annual Wallace Art Awards 2011: Exhibition of Winners and Selected Finalists catalogues including Director’s introduction, judges details, and extended information about the Awards are available from reception or the Gallery Shop for $15. All proceeds are reinvested into the Wallace Arts Trust and aid in the funding of the operation of the TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre at the Pah Homestead.