3 April 2025

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is pleased to announce the 2025 winner and runners-up of The Theodore Urbach Landscape Prize and Studio Scholarship (“The Urbach”), a $10,000 prize and scholarship encouraging explorations in the field Australian landscape painting. On Friday 28 March, artist Anthea Kemp was named the winner of The Urbach, with artists Jarrad Martyn and Kate McKenzie Lewis named the two runners-up.

Based in St Kilda, Anthea Kemp has been exhibiting as an artist since 2015, showcasing her work in solo and group exhibitions across Melbourne, regional Victoria, Perth, and Sydney. Her practice is driven by her engagement with nature and conservation, translating the visual and ecological rhythms of form in the landscape into painting. As an artist, her approach to painting is intertwined with her commitment to learning about conservation and recognising her own responsibility in caring for country. Working with themes of place and the Australian Landscape, she aims to highlight the conservation efforts taking place across Australia and reflect the knowledge she gains through her volunteer work with seed banks and conservation groups.

The 2025 finalists were selected from twenty-three applications to the prestigious award. Five artists from the twenty-three were shortlisted, going on to present their applications to an expert judging panel. The 2025 judging panel, chaired by SAM Artistic Director Danny Lacy, consisted of Dr. Drew Pettifer (Associate Professor RMIT and SAM Ltd Board member), David Hagger (Melbourne-based curator, consultant, and project manager), Rachel Arndt (Director, Wangaratta Art Gallery), and Briar Stevens (Equity Trustees representative for The Theodore Urbach Landscape Painting Scholarship and Prize Charitable Trust).

Of the applicants, David Hagger says:

“The strength of applicants over the first two iterations of The Urbach has been remarkable, and is a testament to the opportunities that this uniquely tailored initiative offers in the development of artists’ professional practices and connection with the community of Shepparton.”

Caroline Esbenshade, SAM Curator – Community and coordinator of The Urbach, says:

“We were impressed by the calibre and diversity of the submissions we received this year, which showcased the many unique ways in which the Australian landscape can be interpreted. We’re excited to continue pushing the boundaries of how we understand and engage with the genre, expanding the horizon of Australian landscape painting. I’m looking forward to working with Anthea, finding ways to support her development as well as to support her in sharing her knowledge and passion for conservation with the community.”

As winner of The Urbach, Kemp will receive a $5,000 cash prize and a scholarship stipend of $5,000 to support her as she undertakes the three-month scholarship at SAM’s onsite artist studio from 1 May to 31 July 2025. Over the scholarship period, Kemp intends to engage with the Euroa Arboretum, located on the lands of the Taungurung and Yorta Yorta people, to undertake research that will inform the creation of a new body of responsive paintings.

As runners-up, Jarrad Martyn and Kate McKenzie Lewis will each be awarded a $2,500 prize in recognition of their time and commitment in developing their applications.

ENDS

Media enquiries, please contact: Mikela Guseli, Communications Officer, SAM

p: (03) 4804 5009 e: mguseli@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au

Featured image: Anthea Kemp headshot. Image courtesy of the artist.