R & M McGivern Prize

The R & M McGivern Prize is a prestigious acquisitive award that promotes artistic excellence in watercolour, oil and acrylic painting. It is also an opportunity for Maroondah City Council to acquire the winning artwork and continue to build a quality art collection for the Maroondah community.

The R & M McGivern Prize is held every three years, with the next to be in 2012.

The Prize is provided by the Estate of the late Muriel McGivern, a local Maroondah identity, and administered by the Trust Company of Australia.   Mrs McGivern died on 29 January 2000 and one of the components of her will was the creation of the R & M McGivern Prize. The triennial prize was first awarded three years from the date of Muriel McGivern’s death. 

The Prize consists of an Acquisitive Major Prize, with a prize value of $15,000.  A Non Acquisitive Second Prize, valued at $3,000, is also available and open to any artist for a painting utilising oil, acrylic or water colour medium. This range of media was stipulated in Mrs McGivern’s will.

Two other prizes are also available, using the same criteria as for the Acquisitive Major Prize.  The Outstanding Watercolour (Non Acquisitive) Prize carries a $1,000 award for a painting utilising a watercolour medium. The Outstanding Oil/Acrylic (Non Acquisitive) Prize also carries a $1,000 award for a painting utilising an oil or acrylic medium.

2009 winners

R & M McGivern Prize (acquisitive) $15,000
Celeste Chandler - Untitled 5

Second Prize $3,000
Malcolm Webster - Mist over Merrijig

Outstanding watercolour $1,000
Justin Cooper - To cull or not to cull?

Outstanding oil/acrylic $1,000
David O’Brien - The Exhibitionists