New in 2023!

ITALTHAI TO SPONSOR THAILAND’S PORTRAIT PRIZE
Major Art Event, With THB900,000 in Prizes, to Now Include a Youth Award

The Italthai Group has signed a sponsorship agreement to support the former River City Portrait Prize, assuring the continuation and growth of Thailand’s national portraiture competition.

Announced today, the Italthai Portrait Prize 2023 will also award a new prize, the Youth Prize in the amount of THB100,000 for artists up to the age of 16 years. The sponsor and the exhibition host, River City Bangkok, hope that this fourth prize will encourage the growing artist talent coming through Thailand’s school system, giving a jump-start to a young artist each year.

As with previous years, the portraiture competition is open to all artists, Thai or foreigner, living in Thailand now, whether they be professional, amateur or a student. In addition to the new Youth Prize, the seven person jury will select the Portrait Prize, the winner receiving THB500,000. The RCB Exhibition Team will choose the Packing Room Prize, whose winner will receive THB200,000. All visitors to the exhibition of finalists at River City Bangkok will vote for their favorite portrait, the winner being awarded the People’s Choice Prize of THB100,000.

Winners of previous years have gone on to win scholarships, received commissions, and seen their profile recognized, and their careers truly take off. Finalists in each year’s competition are able to sell their entry, and receive commissions for new portraits. Many have gone on to be signed by private galleries.

Each artist must paint their sitter from life and tell the sitter’s story through the painting, and in a 300 word submission. In previous years, two thirds of the artists have been male, while two thirds of the sitters female. Finalists have come from 26 provinces of Thailand, and have been aged from 16 to 60 years.

Speaking about his company’s sponsorship, Yuthachai Charanachitta, CEO of Italthai Group said, “Portraiture is a window into a nation’s people, culture, and soul. Thailand is recognized around the world for its culture and creative talent, yet the market for art has yet to realize its full potential. In sponsoring the Portrait Prize we hope to accelerate the development of the Thai art market and in doing so improve the livelihood of artists, whatever their age, locale, or background.”

Entries for Italthai Portrait Prize 2023 will open March 1 and close June 21. More about the Portrait Prize and how to enter can be found on www.portraitprizethailand.com