Scholarships
The George Mason Visual Art Scholarship aims to assist a senior Taranaki secondary school student to continue their visual arts study at a tertiary level, including Māori visual art, design and architecture courses. The student must currently be studying a visual art subject, ngā toi, or DVC at a Taranaki secondary school, kura kaupapa or Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Taranaki resident).
The Scholarship encourages both academic achievers and students who demonstrate drive and motivation towards a career in visual arts. Awarded annually to the value of $3,300, the scholarship is paid as a one-off lump sum to the winning student on proof of enrolment for a visual arts course at tertiary education level.
The Scholarship is generously funded by the George Mason Endowment Gift, held in trust with the Taranaki Foundation.
Read more here.
The Gallery administers the application, award process and promoting the Scholarship to Taranaki visual arts teachers and students through the Gallery’s website and marketing channels.
2026 Scholarship Applications
2026 Scholarship applications are welcome between Wednesday 16 July and Wednesday 2 September 2026.
To apply:
Students complete the following online application form:
Online Application Form
We advise using Google Chrome or Safari browsers to access the online form.
If you do not receive an email confirmation of your application, please phone 06 7590858 or email chrisb@govettbrewster.com
Selection criteria
Selection focuses on one final artwork from the student’s school folio or mahi toi, clearly titled and dated in the file name, supported by five relevant images (these could be work in progress and may include video stills), and the student’s artist statement. Images should be supplied as JPEGS (min. 1MB, max. 2MB) individually attached to the application email. A movie artwork may be submitted, supplied as an MP4 video file via WeTransfer or Dropbox, also uploaded to a ‘private listing’ on Youtube or Vimeo. The movie can only contain original or non-copyright music and should be supported by five relevant images (these could be work in progress and may include video stills), and the student’s artist statement.
Applications are scored on three criteria; quality of ideas (70%), aesthetic skill (20%) and artist statement (10%). The figures in brackets indicate the priority given to students with a unique, consistent and personal perspective to art.
Selection panel
The selection panel this year will comprise: Chris Barry, Educator at Govett-Brewster (BFA, MFA, Cert Adult Ed), Simon Gennard, Curator Contemporary Art and Collections at Govett-Brewster (MA Art History, Victoria University of Wellington), Justin Jade Morgan, Curator / Exhibitions Component and Support Fabricator at Puke Ariki (Masters Arts Management, Post Grad Dip Art & Design).
No Taranaki school art teachers are on the panel to avoid any perceived conflict of interest.
Awarding of Scholarship
The Scholarship winner will be announced on Wednesday 28 October with the student receiving payment once they have supplied proof of their enrolment in a visual arts tertiary education course of a minimum of three years diploma status. An artwork and written statement from each year’s winning student will be displayed (and digitally archived) on the scholarship page within the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery’s website.
Winning students will be required to annually contact the Govett-Brewster Educator with proof of their continued enrolment in a visual arts tertiary education course, provide their grades for the previous year’s study and supply updated contact details. This is to enable tracking of the success of the Scholarship’s objective.