1. Eligibility
Artists must have an intellectual disability or an intellectual disability and autism and must be a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident of New Zealand aged 13 years or older at the time of entry.
Artists DO NOT have to be using IHC, IDEA Services or Choices NZ. The artwork must have been completed by the artist listed on the entry form, with minimal help from others. Group artworks will not be accepted.
Artists aged between 13 to 17 will automatically fall into the Youth Award category.
2. Artwork medium
All types of artworks are eligible, including drawing, painting, collage, or sculpture. Artwork must be original and created by the artist with minimal help from others. Please note, we are no longer accepting photography entries in the IHC Art Awards.
3. Size
Maximum size is 2m x 3m, or in the case of sculpture / craft no larger than 1m x 1m x 1m.
4. Artwork
Only one artwork per artist may be entered. Group artworks will not be accepted. The work must have been completed in the last 12 (twelve) months with minimal help from others to be eligible.
Diptychs and triptych artworks (ie; two or three panels that make up one artwork and not two or more individual pieces) will be accepted. A series of artworks will not be accepted unless they are framed as one piece and fit within the artwork sizing stated above.
Please remember to provide clear and close up photos of your artwork.
5. The Forté Recruitment People’s Choice Award
The Forté Recruitment People’s Choice Award winner is one of the Art Awards 30 finalists and is selected by members of the public via online voting. The Forté Recruitment People’s Choice Award is also eligible to win first, second or third place.
6. Youth Award
The Youth Award is for entrants aged 13 to 17. The judges will select the winner of the Youth Award from the entries received and be eligible to win first, second or third place or the Forté Recruitment People’s Choice Award.
7. Judging
The selection of finalists and awarding of first, second, third place and the Youth Award winners is made by a panel of three judges. Their decision will be final, and no correspondence will be entered into. A further prize, the Forté Recruitment People’s Choice Award, will be selected through online voting.
Both the Youth and the Forté Recruitment People’s Choice Award winners are also eligible to be selected as first, second or third prize winners.
The judges will select the winners from the number of entries received.
8. Entries opening date
The entry opening date for submitting artworks is 9am on Monday 14 April 2025. Artworks will not be accepted before this date. All artworks are to be submitted using the online Art Awards entry form available on the IHC website.
As we are exhibiting all entries this year at Webb’s Auction House in Wellington, you will need to send us your actual artwork to National Office before Friday 6 June 2025. Please print and attach your confirmation email you receive after submitting your entry online. We need this to accept your artwork.
Address to send your artwork to:
IHC Art Awards
IHC New Zealand
Level 15, 57 Willis Street (or PO Box 4155)
Wellington 6021
Please note any artworks that aren’t framed or mounted will not be displayed at Webb’s Auction House or made available for sale; they will be returned to the artist.
9. Entries closing date
All artworks must be received online by 5pm on Friday 16 May 2025. Late entries will not be accepted.
10. Reproduction / publication of artwork
All artists must be willing to participate in publicity or media stories and agree to the publication or reproduction of their work by IHC at any time to promote this and future Art Awards for people with intellectual disabilities, without payment of any fee, royalty or commission.
11. Framing and presentation
You will need to send your artwork to IHC’s National Office framed or mounted. Quality materials as well as framing or mounting can greatly enhance artworks and their chance of success. For advice about framing, please view the hanging instructional video on the IHC website.
Artworks MUST arrive already framed or mounted, ready for hanging, and with hanging / display instructions.
Any artworks that aren’t framed or mounted will not be displayed at Webb’s Auction House or made available for sale; they will be returned to the artist.
12. Sale of artwork
All entries received must be available for sale. The sale price artists place on their work will be the price the artwork is sold for. Should the artwork not sell in the exhibition at Webb’s Auction House, the artwork will be returned to the artist. One hundred percent (100%) of the sale price will be paid to the artists if the work is sold.
13. Payment for artwork
One hundred percent (100%) of the sale price will be paid to the artist's bank account if the work is sold. Payment will not be paid into the account of the art base / studio, family member, support person or friend.
Proof of bank account details must be provided to IHC National Office when forwarding your artwork. Proof of bank account can be either a bank deposit slip or a copy of the entrant’s online bank statement (without the transactions) clearly showing the bank logo, their bank account name and bank account number. This information is required before the requested date.
Artists will receive a confirmation email advising the sale price of their artwork and the expected date of payment to their bank account.
14. Pricing artworks
Please be realistic when setting sale prices. Artworks should be priced depending on the following:
- Materials.
- Size.
- Complexity.
- Cost of production (eg. framing costs).
- Previous sales history.
All artworks must be available for sale. If you do not wish to sell your artwork, please do not submit an entry.
15. WORLD Legacy Charity Project opportunity 2025
Alongside the Art Awards, entrants may have the opportunity for their art to be selected by WORLD to be part of their WORLD Legacy Charity Project. More details will be provided closer to the time.
16. Risk
All entries are submitted at the sole risk of the artists. IHC accepts no liability for any loss or damage and shall not be required to provide insurance cover or cover the costs of damage to artworks.
18. Media
As an entrant of the IHC Art Awards, you may be approached by media or want to approach media yourself to talk about your artwork. If this happens, contact the IHC Communications team at ihccomms@ihc.org.nz for support to work with media, and for information about the IHC Art Awards.
19. Your privacy
By providing your personal information to use, you are consenting to the collection, storage, use and disclosure of that information as set out in IHC’s Website Privacy Statement. For further information about our Privacy Statement, please click on the link below:
IHC website privacy statement | IHC New Zealand
More information about the IHC Art Awards
