2025 Betty Bowen Award

The Seattle Art Museum is accepting entries for the 48th Annual Betty Bowen Award, which honors a Northwest artist for their original, exceptional, and compelling work. The award is open to visual artists in all media working in Washington, Oregon, or Idaho.

The winner receives an unrestricted cash prize of $20,000 and a solo exhibition at the Seattle Art Museum. Up to two Special Recognition Awards ($4,000 each) and three Special Commendation Awards ($2,500 each) are often granted at the discretion of the Betty Bowen Committee. Six finalists are selected in the first round of anonymous review and invited to present their work to the committee in the second round, receiving an honorarium of $500 for related expenses.

Applications must include a resume, artist statement, and six images with title, date, medium, and dimensions for each work. Artists working in time-based media may submit up to three video files (mp4, mov, or other formats) alongside the required images. All entries must be submitted online by 11:00 PM PST on August 1, 2025. The application fee is $10. Financial assistance is available for applicants for whom costs pose a barrier to entry. Selection is based on the compelling nature of the artist's ideas and contribution to the field, the quality and creativity of the work submitted, the artist's commitment to developing their work, and the impact the award will have on the artist's career.