Adam Portraiture Award

The Adam Portraiture Award is New Zealand’s most prestigious and popular portraiture prize.

The biennial competition for painted portraits held at The New Zealand Portrait Gallery and generously sponsored by the Adam Foundation. The Adam Portraiture Award provides New Zealand painters from all stages of their careers with the opportunity to showcase their talents on the national stage, while also playing an important role in recording the changing face of Aotearoa.

In 2020 the Award expanded its judging panel to include an international and a New Zealand judge. 

The next Award competition will be held in 2022. The current award is on show in Wellington, online and will tour the country.

First Prize: $20,000 
Runner up: $2,500 
People’s Choice: $2,500 

The inaugural competition was held in 2000 and called the National Portrait Competition. It has been known as the Adam Portraiture Award since 2002. Since 2006 the winning artworks have been acquired into the New Zealand Portrait Gallery collection.

The Adam Portraiture Award is generously funded by the Adam Foundation