In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Society for Contemporary Craft in 1997, a $5,000 prize for excellence in the field of contemporary crafts was established. The biennial award, which is given in conjunction with a catalogue and juried exhibition at SCC, is funded by the daughters of Elizabeth R. Raphael, the founder of SCC and a nationally known figure in the contemporary art scene for many decades.

Prizes are selected by medium, with the designated medium changing with each biennial award. The 1997 Raphael Prize recipient was Sibylle Peretti of Cologne, Germany for her work in glass, "Vogelkuss-Birdkiss II," 1997. The 1999 prize was awarded to David Sengel of Boone, North Carolina for his work in wood, "Haloed," 1999. In 2001 Suzan Rezac of Oak Park, IL, was awarded this prestigious prize for her necklace, Opus Tessellatum, 2001.

The 2003 prize will be awarded to an artist working in ceramics.

Finalists will be notified by July 3 of their selection for inclusion in the Raphael Prize exhibition and catalogue. The prize-winning entry will be chosen from among the works submitted by these finalists and the winner will be announced at the exhibition opening.

Finalists must be prepared to submit five or six additional pieces for exhibition if they are selected as the Raphael Prize winner.

(Note: Acceptance of a work based solely on the jurors’ viewing of slides does not guarantee inclusion. The jurors reserve the right to exclude a selection when viewing actual work.)

Theme:
The prize will be awarded to a work created between September 2002 and September 2003 that addresses the theme "transformation."

Media Criteria:
The 2003 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize competition is open to all artists working in ceramics. Emerging artists are especially encouraged to apply.

Prize Winner Receives:
In addition to being featured in the exhibition the winner receives a $5000 cash award and a video will be made of the artist and his/her work. In addition the Society for Contemporary Craft reserves the right to purchase the Raphael Founder’s Prize winning entry.

Jurors:
A six-member panel will select finalists from the initial slide submission and also select the prize-winning entry. Jurors will include Jimmy Clark, ceramic artist, Philadelpha, PA; Alexandra Raphael, enameler, London, England; Catherine Raphael, metalsmith and storyteller, Pittsburgh, PA; Margaret Raphael, filmmaker, Hunker, PA; and Janet L. McCall, executive director, the Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA.

Jurying Process:
Jurying will take place in two phases. From the initial pool of slide submissions, a group of finalists will be invited to submit a work on the selected theme for the final jurying and possible inclusion in the Raphael Prize exhibition. Only one work per artist may be submitted for final jurying.

Shipping:
One-way transportation to SCC of works submitted by finalists must be paid by the artist; return transportation costs will be paid by the organizers. Works must be packed securely and double boxed in reusable crates with thorough re-packing instructions and completed forms for return.

Insurance/Liability:
Artists who are selected as finalists will be responsible for insuring their work while in transit. Upon receipt, works will be insured by SCC for the entire exhibition period and storage. SCC can not be held responsible for lost or damaged pieces during shipping.

Entry Fee:
The non-refundable entry fee is $35, payable by check or money order to the Society for Contemporary Craft. Please designate your name and Raphael Prize on check.

Mailing of Entry:
To confirm that your entry was received, enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard. Send entries to Raphael Founder’s Prize, Society for Contemporary Craft, 2100 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.

Entry Form

This form is in Adobe PDF format. You will need Adobe's free Acrobat Reader to view this document. Please complete the form, print and mail. The form may be filled out on line and then printed or printed and filled out by hand or typewriter.