The BRAVA Awards

The BRAVA Awards is a biennial competition supporting contemporary visual artists and craftspeople. Four awards of $15,000 each are given across four categories: Native American & First Nations Artist Award, Artist's Books Award, Emerging Artist Award, and Special Choice Award: Children's Book Illustration.

Eligibility varies by award category. The Native American & First Nations Artist Award is open to self-identified Native American and/or First Nations artists living and working in the Salish Sea region. The Artist's Books Award is open to U.S.-based artists working in the artist's book genre. The Emerging Artist Award supports early-career visual artists from the Puget Sound region whose work has not been shown in a museum. The Children's Book Award is for artists from the Puget Sound region creating illustration work designed for readers 16 years or under. All applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of submission.

Applications require an artist biography (1,000 words or less), artist statement (1,000 words or less), and work samples of 1-12 images (JPEG/JPG format, 1,200 pixels minimum on longest side, under 5 MB) or up to one video (3 minutes maximum). Entry fee is $25. Award recipients receive recognition in BIMA media and publications, participation in an online or live event, a short video produced about the recipient, an invitation to an award ceremony at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, and an invitation to serve as a juror for the next biennial award process. Jury review occurs June 1-30, 2023.