The Gibbes Museum of Art has announced an extension for submissions to the 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art, giving artists until September 7, 2025, to apply.
Recognized as one of the premier art prizes in the Southeastern United States, the 1858 Prize awards $10,000 to one artist whose work contributes to a new understanding of art in the American South. The winning artist will also have a piece exhibited in the museum for a full year—cementing a prestigious presence within one of the nation’s oldest and most respected cultural institutions.
Lavender Notes, by Stephanie J. Woods (2021 winner). Mixed media with window cornice, tea-dyed burlap, stain prints, textile foil (2021). Museum purchase.
Presented by Society 1858, the museum’s young professionals auxiliary group, the award is more than a prize—it is a celebration of vision, identity, and the evolving Southern experience through art. The winner will be announced in October 2025, and honored during a special three-day celebration in Charleston, including the annual Society 1858 Winter Party and the Amy P. Coy Forum, where the artist will speak publicly about their work and process.
The artist Demond Melancon (the 2024 winner), with his work Hatsheput, (2025). Glass beads and rhinestones on canvas.
Hurtsboro, by Bo Bartlett (2017 winner). Oil on linen (2021). Museum purchase with funds
provided from an anonymous donor.
Betwixt and Between, by Patrick Dougherty (2011 winner). Red maple and sweet gum (2017).
Installation made possible by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, Charleston magazine,
and the assistance of many generous volunteers.
With past recipients going on to earn national recognition from organizations like the Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, the Joan Mitchell Fellowship, and the Pollock-Krasner Foundation, the impact of the 1858 Prize extends well beyond the gallery walls. Works by former winners have been acquired by major institutions including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The National Gallery of Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago.
The artist Raheleh Filsoofi (2022 winner), with her work
Imagined Boundaries. Multimedia installation (2017–present).
Sanctuary, by Donté K. Hayes (2019 winner).
Stoneware and black clay (2020).
Museum purchase with funds provided by the
Alicia Rhett bequest.
Dr. H. Alexander Rich, President and CEO of the Gibbes Museum, emphasized the importance of this long-standing prize, stating,
“Year in and out, the prestigious 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art stands as a testament to, and celebration of, the amazing talents of artists living and working in the American South. Since its origins in 1858, the Gibbes Museum has been a champion of groundbreaking art and the emerging and established artists whose diverse voices speak powerfully to the full breadth of the American experience and American creativity. Keeping with this legacy, 2025’s 1858 Prize candidates promise to posit new and eye-opening ways to reflect upon our individual and collective worlds — and we cannot wait to be in awe once again of our region’s incredible artistic talent.”
Eligible artists must reside in, work in, or originate from: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia. Submissions must be made through the online application, where full rules and eligibility are also available. The prize is open to artists working in all media. View previous winners and their work.
Since its founding, the Gibbes Museum has served as a cultural touchstone for Charleston and the broader South. Established in 1858, the Carolina Art Association began collecting art in what would become the Gibbes Museum, which officially opened its doors in 1905. Society 1858, named for that founding year, continues to support the museum through events and educational programs aimed at fostering a new generation of art patrons. Membership information is available here.
Past winners of the 1858 Prize include:
Demond Melancon (2024), Sherrill Roland (2023), Raheleh Filsoofi (2022), Stephanie J. Woods (2021), Stephen L. Hayes (2020), Donté K. Hayes (2019), Leo Twiggs (2018), Bo Bartlett (2017), Alicia Henry (2016), Deborah Luster (2015), Sonya Clark (2014), John Westmark (2012), Patrick Dougherty (2011), Radcliffe Bailey (2010), Stephen Marc (2009), and Jeff Whetstone (2008).
With a mission to enhance lives through art, the Gibbes Museum continues to engage people of every background with exhibitions, educational programming, and artist residencies that reflect the vibrant and complex identity of the South. The 1858 Prize is an extension of that mission—championing contemporary Southern voices and offering a platform where art not only reflects culture, but transforms it.
Plan your visit or learn more about the museum at gibbesmuseum.org/visit.
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