The R & M McGivern Prize

• About The R & M McGivern Prize
• The R & M McGivern Prize 2025/26
• Previous winners
• About Muriel McGivern

About The R & M McGivern Prize

The R & M McGivern Prize is a national prize awarded every three years for outstanding, original artwork in the medium of painting.

The R & M McGivern Prize was established by the will of the late Muriel Evelyn McGivern, a local resident and artist of Maroondah, as a legacy of Muriel’s support of the arts in Maroondah. Awarded every three years by the Perpetual Trustee Company Limited, acting as Trustee of the R & M McGivern Croydon Arts Trust, the Prize recognises outstanding, original artwork in painting.

The R & M McGivern Prize is an acquisitive award and the winning artworks, as judged by an expert panel, enter the Maroondah City Council Art Collection. The Prize aims to promote artistic excellence in painting and build a high-quality collection for Maroondah.

The R & M McGivern Prize 2025/26

Submissions are now closed.

The 2025/26 R & M McGivern Prize invited artists from across Australia to respond to the theme Atmosphere. Fifty shortlisted artworks will be exhibited across two venues:

• ArtSpace at Realm
• Maroondah Federation Estate Gallery

The exhibition runs from Monday 16 November 2026 to Sunday 24 January 2027.

Prize winners will be announced at the opening celebration on Thursday 19 November 2026.

Previous winners

Since its inception in 2003, The R & M McGivern Prize has recognised some of Australia's leading contemporary painters.

See previous winners

About Muriel McGivern

Muriel McGivern (née Britten) was born on 1 October 1904 and passed away on 29 January 2000. She lived a richly creative life, and the R & M McGivern Prize grew out of her desire to provide an art prize within her local Croydon community.

Muriel lived her entire life in what is now known as the City of Maroondah and she is fondly remembered for her colourful writing, paintings of the Australian landscape and dedication to local history research. Muriel is also noted as the founder of the Croydon Historical Society and Museum in 1963.