Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize and Exhibition

In celebration of its 25th anniversary in 1997, Contemporary Craft established a $5,000 prize for excellence in the field of contemporary craft.

This triennial award, which is given in conjunction with a catalogue, video profile and juried exhibition, is funded by the daughters of Elizabeth R. Raphael, the founder of Contemporary Craft and a nationally known figure in the contemporary art scene for many decades. Prizes are selected by medium, with the designated medium changing with each award.

Past winners and winning artworks include Sibylle Peretti, Vogelkuss-Birdkiss II (glass), 1997; David Sengel, Haloed (wood), 1999; Suzan Rezac, Opus Tessellatum (small metals), 2001; SunKoo Yuh, The Memory of Pikesville, TN (clay), 2003; Jim Rose, Quilt Cupboard (found materials), 2005; Mark Zirpel, Pair (glass), 2007; Christian Burchard, Days of Summer by the Pond (wood), 2009; Meghan Patrice Riley, Interstitial (small metals), 2011; Linda Swanson, Cypreus Lumen (clay), 2013 ;Melissa Cameron, 1.1.2017 (found materials), 2018 and Lauren Kalman, To Hold… (glass), 2022.

The 2025 prize will be awarded for an artwork in WOOD. Previous Raphael Prize videos may be viewed on CC’s website.

2025 RAPHAEL PRIZE CALENDAR

• (Phase I) Call for Artists begins August 12, 2024

• Deadline for receipt of application October 18, 2024

• Notification of Finalists November 30, 2024

• (Phase II) Deadline for Finalists’ digital submissions July 5, 2025

• Final work to be delivered by August 2, 2025

• Notification of prizewinners August 29, 2025

• Exhibition schedule September 19, 2025 - January 17, 2026

• Travel schedule begins February 2026 (when applicable)

MEDIA CRITERIA

The 2025 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize competition is open to all artists working in wood.

ELIGIBILITY

Open to exceptionally talented artists who are in the early, mid or late stages of their career and reside in the United States or abroad. The prize will be awarded to a work created between July 2024 and July 2025 that addresses the theme of “transformation.”

JURYING PROCESS Jurying will take place in TWO phases. From the initial submissions, a group of finalists will be invited to submit a new work on the selected theme for the final jurying and inclusion in the Raphael Prize exhibition. Only one work per artist may be provided for final jurying. Artists are eligible to include work made after July 2024.

DEADLINE All digital entries must be received by 11:59 pm Friday, October 18, 2024.

FINALISTS (TWO PHASES) & NOTIFICATION

Phase I - Finalists will be notified by November 30, 2024 of their selection for inclusion in the Raphael Prize exhibition and catalogue.

Phase II - The prize-winning entry will be chosen from among the works submitted by these finalists for the second round of jurying. The winner of the prize will be notified by August 29, 2025 (embargo) and the winner will be announced at the exhibition opening. Finalists should be prepared to submit two or three additional pieces for the exhibition if they are selected as the Raphael Prize winner. (Note: Acceptance of a work based solely on the jurors’ viewing of images does not guarantee inclusion. The jurors reserve the right to exclude a submission when viewing actual work. Works selected for the show are expected to travel for up to two years with the exhibition.)

SHIPPING

Artists who are selected as finalists will be responsible for one-way transportation of works to Contemporary Craft; Contemporary Craft will pay return transportation costs and insurance. Works must be packed securely and double boxed in reusable containers with thorough re-packing instructions and complete forms for return.

INSURANCE/LIABILITY

Artists who are selected as finalists will be responsible for insuring their work in transit to Contemporary Craft. Contemporary Craft will insure artworks for the entire exhibition period, storage and during return shipment. Contemporary Craft cannot be held liable for lost or damaged pieces during shipping.

PRIZE

In addition to being featured in the exhibition, the prize winner receives a $5,000 cash award, and a 3-5 minute video will be made of the artist and her/his/their work.

JURORS

A five-member panel will select finalists from the initial submissions, and also select the prize-winning entry.

Guest Juror - Jennifer-Navva Milliken. Milliken is the Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Museum for Art in Wood. At the helm of this unique art museum, she works to enfold contemporary issues into the museum’s wood-focused approach, balancing traditional craft practices with broader considerations expressed through the hands and minds of creative makers. Milliken studied for her BA in Art History at Western Washington University and her MA in Art History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. Throughout her international career, she has curated dozens of exhibitions for museums, galleries, and unconventional spaces. Before joining the Museum for Art in Wood in 2018, she worked as an independent curator and consultant, as well as an embedded staff curator at several cultural institutions and museums in the US and abroad.

Guest Juror - Christopher Kurtz. Kurtz has gained international attention for his sculpture and studio furniture, which is included in significant public and private collections. The artist was shortlisted for the Loewe Craft Prize 2018 with a signature wooden sculptural work, which was exhibited at the London Design Museum. He received the prestigious Louis Comfort Tiffany Award in 2005, and in 2007 3 he received a New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Award (Lily Auchincloss fellow). He has exhibited as part of Against the Grain: Wood in Contemporary Art, Craft and Design at the Museum of Arts and Design, USA. In 2020, he exhibited in “Objects USA 2020” R&Company, New York. His work has been shown at numerous international art and design fairs, including Design Miami, PAD, FOG and TEFAF Maastricht.

Catherine Raphael, Metalsmith and Storyteller, Pittsburgh, PA;

Rachel Saul Rearick, Executive Director, Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA

Yu-San Cheng, Associate Director, Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA

SALES

All works must be for sale. CC receives a 50% commission on artworks sold. Commissions received through CC sales help support the free admission, education and community outreach programs of the nonprofit organization.

RIGHTS OF REPRODUCTION

CC reserves the right to photograph exhibited work, and use photographs - or the artist’s entry images - in both printed and electronic materials for publicity and promotion.

ABOUT CONTEMPORARY CRAFT

Presenting contemporary art in craft materials by regional, national, and international artists since 1971, Contemporary Craft offers cutting edge exhibitions focusing on multicultural diversity and contemporary art, as well as a range of artist-led studio workshops, community engagement programs, and a store featuring work by top artists from across the country. Located at 5645 Butler Street in Pittsburgh, PA (USA), Contemporary Craft’s exhibitions are free to the public.