EXHIBITION CALL
2025 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize Award and Exhibition
OVERVIEW
In celebration of its 25th anniversary in 1997, Contemporary Craft established a $5,000 prize for excellence inthe field of contemporary craft.
This triennial award, which is given in conjunction with a catalogue, video profile and juried exhibition, isfunded by the daughters of Elizabeth R. Raphael, the founder of Contemporary Craft and a nationally known
figure in the contemporary art scene for many decades. Prizes are selected by medium, with the designatedmedium changing with each award.
Past winners and winning artworks include Sibylle Peretti, Vogelkuss-Birdkiss II (glass), 1997; David Sengel,Haloed (wood), 1999; Suzan Rezac, Opus Tessellatum (small metals), 2001; SunKoo Yuh, The Memory ofPikesville, TN (clay), 2003; Jim Rose, Quilt Cupboard (found materials), 2005; Mark Zirpel, Pair (glass), 2007;
Christian Burchard, Days of Summer by the Pond (wood), 2009; Meghan Patrice Riley, Interstitial (smallmetals), 2011; Linda Swanson, Cypreus Lumen (clay), 2013 ;Melissa Cameron, 1.1.2017 (found materials),2018 and Lauren Kalman, To Hold… (glass), 2022.
The 2025 prize will be awarded for an artwork in WOOD. Previous Raphael Prize videos may be viewed on
CC’s website.
INQUIRIESFor questions or concerns, please email:Yu-San Cheng, Associate Director at yscheng@contemporarycraft.org
Justin Lin, Exhibition Coordinator at jlin@contemporarycraft.org
2025 RAPHAEL PRIZE CALENDAR• (Phase I) Call for Artists begins August 12, 2024
• Deadline for receipt of application October 18, 2024
• Notification of Finalists November 30, 2024
• (Phase II) Deadline for Finalists’ digital submissions July 5, 2025
• Final work to be delivered by August 2, 2025
• Notification of prizewinners August 29, 2025
• Exhibition schedule September 19, 2025 - January 17, 2026
• Travel schedule begins February 2026 (when applicable)
MEDIA CRITERIAThe 2025 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize competition is open to all artists working in wood.
ELIGIBILITY
Open to exceptionally talented artists who are in the early, mid or late stages of their career and reside in theUnited States or abroad.
The prize will be awarded to a work created between July 2024 and July 2025 that addresses the theme of“transformation.”
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JURYING PROCESS
Jurying will take place in TWO phases. From the initial submissions, a group of finalists will be invited tosubmit a new work on the selected theme for the final jurying and inclusion in the Raphael Prize exhibition.
Only one work per artist may be provided for final jurying. Artists are eligible to include work made after July
2024.
DEADLINE
All digital entries must be received by 11:59 pm Friday, October 18, 2024.
FINALISTS (TWO PHASES) & NOTIFICATION
Phase I - Finalists will be notified by November 30, 2024 of their selection for inclusion in the Raphael Prizeexhibition and catalogue.
Phase II - The prize-winning entry will be chosen from among the works submitted by these finalists for thesecond round of jurying. The winner of the prize will be notified by August 29, 2025 (embargo) and thewinner will be announced at the exhibition opening. Finalists should be prepared to submit two or three
additional pieces for the exhibition if they are selected as the Raphael Prize winner.
(Note: Acceptance of a work based solely on the jurors’ viewing of images does not guarantee inclusion. The
jurors reserve the right to exclude a submission when viewing actual work. Works selected for the show are
expected to travel for up to two years with the exhibition.)
SHIPPING
Artists who are selected as finalists will be responsible for one-way transportation of works to Contemporary
Craft; Contemporary Craft will pay return transportation costs and insurance. Works must be packed
securely and double boxed in reusable containers with thorough re-packing instructions and complete forms
for return.
INSURANCE/LIABILITY
Artists who are selected as finalists will be responsible for insuring their work in transit to ContemporaryCraft. Contemporary Craft will insure artworks for the entire exhibition period, storage and during return
shipment. Contemporary Craft cannot be held liable for lost or damaged pieces during shipping.
PRIZE
In addition to being featured in the exhibition, the prize winner receives a $5,000 cash award, and a 3-5
minute video will be made of the artist and her/his/their work.
JURORS
A five-member panel will select finalists from the initial submissions, and also select the prize-winning entry.
Guest Juror - Jennifer-Navva Milliken. Milliken is the Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Museum for
Art in Wood. At the helm of this unique art museum, she works to enfold contemporary issues into themuseum’s wood-focused approach, balancing traditional craft practices with broader considerations
expressed through the hands and minds of creative makers. Milliken studied for her BA in Art History atWestern Washington University and her MA in Art History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
Throughout her international career, she has curated dozens of exhibitions for museums, galleries, andunconventional spaces. Before joining the Museum for Art in Wood in 2018, she worked as an independent
curator and consultant, as well as an embedded staff curator at several cultural institutions and museums in
the US and abroad.
Guest Juror - Christopher Kurtz. Kurtz has gained international attention for his sculpture and studio furniture,
which is included in significant public and private collections. The artist was shortlisted for the Loewe
Craft Prize 2018 with a signature wooden sculptural work, which was exhibited at the London
Design Museum. He received the prestigious Louis Comfort Tiffany Award in 2005, and in 2007
2he received a New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Award (Lily Auchincloss fellow). He has
exhibited as part of Against the Grain: Wood in Contemporary Art, Craft and Design at theMuseum of Arts and Design, USA. In 2020, he exhibited in “Objects USA 2020” R&Company,
New York. His work has been shown at numerous international art and design fairs, including
Design Miami, PAD, FOG and TEFAF Maastricht.
Catherine Raphael, Metalsmith and Storyteller, Pittsburgh, PA;
Rachel Saul Rearick, Executive Director, Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA
Yu-San Cheng, Associate Director, Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PAAPPLICATION DETAILSApplications may be submitted online at jotform. Application materials must include:
1) Resume (2-page maximum) in pdf format (file size must be under 1MB);
2) Artists are required to submit at least 4 images. 4 Representative Images similar in quality and nature to
the work the artist would enter if selected as a finalist, images need NOT be the exact pieces the artist
intends to enter (file size for each image must be under 2MB);
3) Image Details including: title, year, medium, size, retail value4) Non-refundable Entry Fee* of $45 payable online or via check to Contemporary Craft (5645 Butler Street,Pittsburgh, PA 15201)*Please contact Contemporary Craft if the application fee is prohibitive.
UPLOADAll uploaded files must be labeled with your full name and title for example, forresumes sally.smith.resume.doc or image file sally.smith.image1.jpg
SALES
All works must be for sale. CC receives a 50% commission on artworks sold. Commissions received throughCC sales help support the free admission, education and community outreach programs of the nonprofit
organization.
RIGHTS OF REPRODUCTION
CC reserves the right to photograph exhibited work, and use photographs - or the artist’s entry images - inboth printed and electronic materials for publicity and promotion.
ABOUT CONTEMPORARY CRAFT
Presenting contemporary art in craft materials by regional, national, and international artists since 1971,
Contemporary Craft offers cutting edge exhibitions focusing on multicultural diversity and contemporaryart, as well as a range of artist-led studio workshops, community engagement programs, and a store
featuring work by top artists from across the country. Located at 5645 Butler Street in Pittsburgh, PA(USA), Contemporary Craft’s exhibitions are free to the public.
www.contemporarycraft.org

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