Perpetual: Recipients of the A.M.E. Bale Travelling Scholarship and Art Prizes announced in Melbourne

Leigh Kaplan was announced as the winner of the prestigious A.M.E. Bale Travelling Scholarship in Melbourne today.

The A.M.E. Bale Travelling Scholarship and Art Prizes are Australia's premier awards for traditional realism and figurative art and are awarded to Australian artists who have demonstrated talent and achievement in traditional styles.

Funded by the Alice Marian Ellen Bale Art Foundation Trust, the major prize is a travelling scholarship, currently valued at $50,000, as well as two art prizes, valued at $5,000 each, for works in the mediums of oil and/or acrylic, and works on paper. The exhibition of finalists is currently being held at the Glen Eira City Council Gallery, Melbourne until November 6, 2011.

The manager of the Alice Marian Ellen Bale Art Foundation Trust, Perpetual, said the travelling scholarship is a sought-after prize for emerging artists keen to build their career.

"With travel from Australia often a lengthy and costly exercise, it's difficult for emerging young artists to develop their skills abroad and learn from other artists. The scholarship allows the winner to travel and experience what the rest of the artistic world has to offer – a unique and exciting opportunity for any artist," said Perpetual's General Manager Philanthropy, Andrew Thomas.

According to Mr Thomas, Alice Bale's contribution to the arts through her charitable trust has made a lasting impact on the lives of many young Australian artists.

"Alice Bale was an established artist who was known as one of Australia's pre-eminent flower and still life painters of the early 20th century. Her legacy has continued for more than fifty years now through her charitable trust, supporting many artists in that time," he said.

The recipient of the scholarship, Leigh Kaplan, said she was thrilled to be given the opportunity to combine art and travel.

"It's invaluable for traditional artists to be exposed to both the old masters and also contemporary works. For Australian artists, travel is essential in our early careers – it fuels our curiosity and inspires new ideas,' said Ms Kaplan.

"The traditional artist community in Australia is relatively small compared to other areas of the world. United Kingdom and America have established communities of artists where I'll be able to experience how traditional art works in the world today," said Ms Kaplan.

Ms Kaplan plans to use the A.M.E. Bale Travelling Scholarship to tour Europe, Russia and America over an extended period, to place herself in the best position for a future career as a painter.

The A.M.E. Bale Art Prize in the medium of oils and/or acrylics was awarded jointly to Jenny MacKay for her painting Someday and Simon Cowell for his painting Wynyard Lane. The A.M.E. Bale Art Prize for works on paper went to Philip Cooper for his work Seated Figure.

About the A.M.E. Bale Travelling Scholarship and Art Prizes

The A.M.E. Bale Travelling Scholarship and Art Prizes are awarded to Australian artists who have demonstrated talent and achievement in traditional styles. This includes realist, figurative and representational styles. They are intended to encourage, support and advance classical training of emerging artists (in their early to mid-career) at any stage of life, who are pursuing the study and practice of traditional art and who desire to study the works of old masters.

There are three categories of Art Prizes awarded:

Major Award for a travelling scholarship – currently valued at $50,000

A.M.E. Bale Art Prize in the medium of oils and/or acrylics – currently valued at $5,000

A.M.E. Bale Art Prize for works on paper – currently valued at $5,000

About A.M.E. Bale and the Awards

Alice Marian Ellen Bale was born in Melbourne in 1875 and studied art under Frederick McCubbin and L Bernard Hall at the National Gallery Art School in Melbourne. She developed a reputation as a fine artist who distinguished herself particularly as one of Australia's pre-eminent flower and still life painters of the early 20th Century. Today she is represented in a number of major State and regional art galleries.

Miss Bale was the founding secretary of the Twenty Melbourne Painters Society, a position that she held until her death in 1955. Through her will, she established the A.M.E. Bale Travelling Scholarship and Art Prizes to support Australian artists in perpetuity.

Today, the tradition of A.M.E. Bale's relationship with Twenty Melbourne Painters Society is continued through the judging panel for the Travelling Scholarship and Art Prizes. The judging panel is comprised through the Society and provides expert assistance to the trustee in judging the award, taking into consideration the implementation of both the spirit and letter of Miss Bale's will.

About Perpetual Philanthropic Services

Perpetual is one of the largest managers of private charitable foundations in Australia, with $1.2 billion in funds under management (as at 30 June 2011). Perpetual is trustee to more than 450 charitable trusts – including Private Ancillary Funds (PAFs) and the Perpetual Foundation - that support medical, social, environmental, religious, cultural and educational causes.

Perpetual Philanthropic Services is part of Perpetual Private Wealth which advises clients on $8.7 billion of funds (as at 30 June 2011). The Perpetual Private Wealth team of experts offer tailored advice and services and can help clients fulfill their charitable intentions. For more information visit Philanthropy at Perpetual.