The Glover Prize received more than 400 entrants for its 15th award following a shift to online entries.
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That shift represented a 20 per cent increase in submissions, which were send from across Australia and overseas.
When the prestigious contemporary landscape art prize was established in 2004, the inaugural prize received 75 entries.
Glover Prize curator Megan Dick said the aim was to move fully online with entries next year, and the higher number of submissions showed that it was a positive step forward.
“Receiving a record number of entries is always pleasing, as it is to see the standard of the artworks improve each year.”
Entries were received from Sri Lanka, France New Zealand and the United Kingdom, who would have needed to submit by post previously, Ms Dick said.
She was encouraged by the overseas entries as they engaged with their own vision and portrayal of the Tasmanian landscape.
“The Glover Prize gives artists licence to push the boundaries on what constitutes landscape art because the competition itself views the concept of landscape in its broadest terms.”
The move online had clearly encouraged more artists to enter the prize, she said.
AT+M Marketing managing director David Peck said people embraced the technology shift with approximately 98 per cent of entries made online.
“We wanted to build the same level of awareness about the Glover Prize with interstate and international artists as there is with Tasmanian artists. The reach of the internet makes this possible,” Mr Peck said.
“Ultimately removing geographical boundaries, and being able to extend the marketing reach for the Glover Prize to a global market, will build the competition into a truly international art prize.”
It was the third year the company worked with the Glover Society.
The new system was developed by the Launceston-based company.
It streamlined the production to the exhibition catalogue and ensured all of the artists details were displayed correctly, he said.
Social media marketing was boosted to engage a younger audience and encourage them to check out the exhibition, he said.
A list of the 42 finalists will be officially released on February 9, before the official opening and Glover Prize winner are announced on March 9.
The Glover Prize closed off entries on January 26.
Tess Brunton
I recently returned from across the ditch where I worked at New Zealand Fairfax paper The Timaru Herald and developed a love of mountains. Originally I'm a mainlander from an area known for cheese, the Bega Valley, who also dabbled in radio at ABC RCAFF before finding a place in newspapers. I can often be found hiking, caving or climbing when I'm not cursing at my work computer or technology in general.
I recently returned from across the ditch where I worked at New Zealand Fairfax paper The Timaru Herald and developed a love of mountains. Originally I'm a mainlander from an area known for cheese, the Bega Valley, who also dabbled in radio at ABC RCAFF before finding a place in newspapers. I can often be found hiking, caving or climbing when I'm not cursing at my work computer or technology in general.
