The Bennett Prize

08/23/2026

Congratulations to Aneka Ingold, winner of the inaugural Bennett Prize®, on gracing the September cover of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Since winning the first Bennett Prize, Aneka has continued to build an extraordinary career, with exhibitions, acquisitions and accolades that reflect the strength of her artistic vision and the impact of her work.

Celebrating women artists does not end when the prize is awarded. We are proud to watch our finalists and winners continue to reach new audiences and achieve new milestones.

Congratulations, Aneka, on this well-deserved recognition. We look forward to following your continued success. To learn more about her work, go to thebennettprize.org/finalists/aneka-ingold

Image: Aneka Ingold (winner of The Bennett Prize 1), Tributary©, 2018, mixed media on paper, 50 x 40 inches.

08/19/2026

Have you heard? Muskegon has a star on the map.

This Sunday, the Muskegon Museum of Art is part of A Very Laufey Day, a global celebration of art, music and creativity.

If you’re in Muskegon, make a day of it. Explore HerStory, Material World, and works from The Bennett Collection and Bennett Prize artists. We’re proud to see women artists like Laufey bringing new audiences into the arts and reminding the world why creative voices matter.

Check the map, find the star and plan your visit at averylaufeyday.com

08/17/2026

Imposter syndrome has a way of making even accomplished artists question whether they belong.

For many women artists, the hardest part of applying is often not creating the work, but believing their work deserves to be seen. The Bennett Prize® was created to celebrate women figurative realist painters and provide a platform for artists to share their stories and expand their reach.

If you have been waiting for a sign, this is your nudge to apply. Lean away from the doubts, trust your voice, and take the opportunity to put your work into the conversation.

Applications for The Bennett Prize cycle 5 open April 13, 2026. We can’t wait to see the stories you bring to life.

Image courtesy of The Bennett Collection®: Gerda Wegner, Portrait of a Girl in a Fur Coat©, 1929, 27 ⅝ x 27 ⅞ x 1 ⅝ inches.

ExhibitionsExhibitionsOverviewRound 4 - 2025Round 3 - 2023Round 2 - 2021Round 1 - 2019Traveling ExhibitionsCall For EntriesCall For EntriesOverviewComplete RulesTimelineEntry FAQsThe JuryAboutAboutOverviewThe BennettsSupport Our MissionPartnersWhat is Figurative Realism?NewsContact

08/14/2026

Women have helped shape animation since its earliest days. Now their stories take center stage.

Our partner, the Muskegon Museum of Art, continues its commitment to elevating the work and achievements of women artists with HerStory of Animation: Mary Blair & Beyond, on view June 6 through Sept. 27. This groundbreaking exhibition explores more than a century of innovation, featuring original production artwork, rare artifacts and the remarkable women whose creativity transformed the art of animation.

At The Bennett Prize®, we believe that recognizing women's contributions to the arts helps create a more complete and inclusive history. We are proud to partner with an institution that shares that vision.

In West Michigan this summer? Make plans to visit the exhibition, then tell us which artist's story inspires you most.

Learn more and plan your visit at the Muskegon Museum of Art muskegonartmuseum.org/event/herstory-of-animation/

08/13/2026

What does freedom look like? For Mary Henderson, it can be found in connection.

A finalist in the inaugural Bennett Prize®, Henderson is featured in Where We Are Free, on view through Aug. 14. The exhibition brings together 11 artists whose work centers women as protagonists, caretakers, companions and storytellers.

Through intimate scenes of everyday life, these artists explore the relationships, communities and shared experiences that shape women’s lives. The exhibition reimagines freedom not as independence alone, but as something created through friendship, care and belonging.

Henderson’s work captures the quiet moments of connection that often go unseen, reminding us that women’s stories, experiences and perspectives are essential to the larger narrative of art history. Through exhibitions like Where We Are Free, these voices continue to be recognized, celebrated and brought into greater visibility.

Image: Mary Henderson (Bennett Prize 1 finalist), Pose©, oil on linen on panel, 10 x 10 inches. Currently available for purchase.

08/07/2026

Who gets seen in art history matters.

Artist Joyce Kozloff recently revealed that she was one of the founding members of the Guerrilla Girls, the anonymous feminist art collective formed in 1985 to challenge inequality and the lack of representation of women artists and artists of color in museums and galleries.

Their message was clear: the art world’s story was incomplete without the voices of women artists. Nearly 40 years later, that conversation continues.

At The Bennett Prize®, we are working to ensure women figurative realist painters are recognized, celebrated and included in the evolving story of contemporary art.

Joyce Kozloff’s story reminds us that women have always shaped the art world. Now, it is time for more voices to be seen. If you are a woman figurative realist painter, this is your nudge to apply. Entries close Sept. 19.

To learn more, go to thebennettprize.org

07/30/2026

Congratulations to Bennett Prize finalist Helena Wurzel on her inclusion in Where We Are Free, which is on view through Aug. 14 in Camden, ME.

Organized by Breehan James, the exhibition brings together 11 contemporary women artists whose work explores friendship, care, belonging, and the many ways women create spaces of connection. Through painting and image-making, Where We Are Free celebrates relationships as a source of strength, imagination, and collective freedom.

We're proud to see Helena's work included in this thoughtful exhibition and wish her and all of the participating artists a wonderful opening. Learn more about Helena’s work at thebennettprize.org/finalists/helena-wurzel

Image: Helena Wurzel (Bennett Prize® 4 finalist), Fans©, 2025, oil on canvas, 35 x 28 inches.

07/28/2026

Congratulations to Bennett Prize finalist Daniela Kovačić on receiving an Honorable Mention at the 2026 International FiKVA Award for Painters for her painting Mother Beast.

Daniela’s paintings explore identity, motherhood, and the complexities of human experience with emotional clarity and depth. Since being named a Bennett Prize finalist in 2019, she has continued to expand her international exhibition record while developing a practice that resonates across audiences and contexts.
We are proud to celebrate her continued success and to see Bennett Prize artists gaining recognition on the international stage.

If you know someone whose paintings are ready for that kind of reach, tell them to apply. thebennettprize.org/news-items/encourage-someone-to-apply

Image: Daniela Kovačić (Bennett Prize® 1 finalist), Mother Beast©, 2025, oil on linen, 72 x 60 inches.

07/23/2026

Congratulations to Bennett Prize 2 finalist Lavely Miller on the opening of Resonance: New Perspectives at Luca Fine Art last month.

This group exhibition brings together contemporary artists working across sculpted metal, beadwork, paper composition, and works shaped by light and reflection. While varied in medium, the works share a focus on exploring beauty, emotion, and the human experience through expanded ways of seeing.

Resonance reflects the idea of art as a space of connection between materials, ideas, and perspectives. The works invite close looking and open interpretation, drawing on both historical reference and contemporary culture.
Lavely’s inclusion highlights her continued engagement with material experimentation and contemporary figurative discourse.

Image: Lavely Miller (Bennett Prize® 2 finalist), Well You Tripped Me©, 2026, acrylic on paper on canvas, 40 x 30 inches.

ExhibitionsExhibitionsOverviewRound 4 - 2025Round 3 - 2023Round 2 - 2021Round 1 - 2019Traveling ExhibitionsCall For EntriesCall For EntriesOverviewComplete RulesTimelineEntry FAQsThe JuryAboutAboutOverviewThe BennettsSupport Our MissionPartnersWhat is Figurative Realism?NewsContact

07/21/2026

Questions of autonomy, intimacy, and the changing realities of reproduction take center stage in Agent of Birth, a solo exhibition by Bennett Prize 3 winner Deng Shiqing, on view through July 24 at C+N Gallery CANEPANERI in Milan, Italy.

Organized by Charles Moore, the exhibition presents a new body of work examining the ethical and emotional complexities of surrogacy, reproductive technology, and the increasing commodification of the body. Through psychologically charged figurative paintings, Deng combines the technical precision of Old Master traditions with surreal imagery, humor, and contemporary symbolism.

Across the exhibition, monumental figures are interrupted by commercial references, synthetic objects, and fragmented narratives that challenge ideas of control, ownership, and identity. Rather than offering conclusions, Deng’s work creates space for viewers to consider how evolving technologies and economic systems shape deeply personal experiences.

Known for balancing beauty with discomfort and tenderness with critique, Deng continues to expand the possibilities of contemporary figurative painting while engaging with urgent social questions.

We are delighted to see her work presented to an international audience and congratulate her on this significant solo exhibition.

Images: Deng Shiqing (Bennett Prize® 3 winner), Embrace Between© (detail), 2026, oil on linen, 59.8 x 33.8 inches. Profile© (detail), 2026, oil on linen, 61.8 x 44.8 inches.