The Parkin Prize is a national award and an annual exhibition held at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. Each year the winning entry will be purchased and added to a unique collection of drawings by New Zealand artists.

The Parkin Prize has been established by Chris Parkin, an arts patron and former owner of New Zealand’s only boutique art hotel – Museum Art Hotel in Wellington.

The award is open to anyone who lives permanently in New Zealand or has New Zealand citizenship.

Drawing ‘lives through magic’ claimed New York artist Keith Haring, and The Parkin Prize will seek to capture the spirit of invention, risk and discovery that is fundamental to drawing and making art.  

The competition, in association with the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, aims to play an important role in fostering drawing practice. 

“As a dedicated supporter of the arts I believe it is essential to offer a national award of this significance and highlights the depth and skill of drawing practice in New Zealand.  Internationally we are seeing a resurgence of interest in drawing as the basis of all visual art forms. Not only will it empower talented artists with a sense of the importance of their practice, but it will also see the establishment of a unique collection of New Zealand art through the acquisition of the winning drawings,” said Parkin. 

Academy Galleries, 1 Queens Wharf, Wellington