The Bennett Prize, a biennial award dedicated to women figurative realist painters, has increased its grand prize from $50,000 to $75,000 for its fifth cycle. Founded by collectors Steven Alan Bennett and Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt, the prize aims to bridge the gender gap in the art world by providing substantial financial support and institutional recognition. The current call for entries is open to artists who have not yet reached a specific commercial price ceiling, culminating in a 2027 exhibition at the Muskegon Museum of Art.
This increase comes at a critical time for the art market, characterized by gallery closures and dwindling federal funding. By raising the stakes, the Bennetts are providing a vital lifeline for emerging female artists and challenging traditional academic standards of realism. The prize serves as a significant platform for institutional validation, as evidenced by past finalists who have seen their work acquired by museums and gained visibility that often eludes women in the historically male-dominated field of figurative painting.