About the Prize

The Bald Archy Prize is Australia’s most irreverent portrait award, celebrating wit, satire and the lighter side of portraiture. With a $10,000 acquisitive first prize and a $2,000 People’s Choice Award on offer, each year artists of all styles and standards are invited to submit comic or satirical portraits of a distinguished Australian that embrace humour, parody and caricature. Punters can see submissions from some of Australia’s best-known political cartoonists and most enthusiastic amateurs in the wildly popular Bald Archy exhibition, coming to a venue near you.

Created in 1994 by Peter Batey OAM as a light-hearted counterpoint to the Archibald Prize and judged by the world’s premier avian art critic, Professor Maude Cockatoo it’s purpose is simple: to remind us that art can be clever, critical and funny, all at once. It is a celebration of the irreverent, larrikin Australian spirit in a way that appeals to people from all walks of life.

“It was meant to amuse – apparently a problem with people who believe audible laughter shouldn’t be permitted in an art gallery, let alone unsolicited conversation with a complete stranger”
- Peter Batey OAM, 2015

Now administered by the Museum of the Riverina in Wagga Wagga, The Bald Archy Prize brings accessible, entertaining and thought-provoking art to regional communities. Following an annual launch at the Canberra Potters Watson Arts Centre, the exhibition tours extensively throughout regional New South Wales and Victoria before completing its journey at the Museum of the Riverina’s Historic Council Chambers site. Check out the Exhibition Tour page to find out when the Bald Archy is coming your way (or to register your interest in hosting the Bald Archy!).

The $10,000 First Prize

The Bald Archy Prize is currently the only art competition in the world judged by a sulphur crested cockatoo. With $10,000 up for grabs, it’s a good idea to get to know the judge.

With an online PhD from the Marilyn Munro University of Little Rock, Professor Maude Cockatoo is the most qualified art critic, avian or otherwise, in Australia (according to Maude). As Coolac’s Visual Arts Laureate, Maude has been the sole judge of the Bald Archy Prize from its inception at the 1994 Coolac Festival of Fun.

Maude’s number one rule for a prize-winner is that it must be funny. Her idea of humour, according to a 2015 interview includes, “wit, slapstick, satire, vulgarity, farce, black comedy, irreverence and everything else that falls between high and low comedy”. On the other hand, Maude loathes ‘hate portraiture’, or ‘soap box art’ as she calls it.

“It takes 11 galahs to judge the Archibald but only one cockatoo to judge the Bald Archy,”
- Peter Batey OAM, 2016

The $2000 People’s Choice Award

Getting Maude squawking isn’t the only way to be a winner at the Bald Archy Prize. There’s also a $2,000 People’s Choice Award, proudly sponsored by Briggs Law, up for grabs.

Throughout the exhibition tour, visitors are invited to vote for their favourite Bald Archy Prize finalist. So, if you’re not a bird whisperer, try winning over the people instead.