Neddy at Cornish

The Neddy at Cornish is an annual artist award program supported by the Behnke Foundation and housed at Cornish College of the Arts in memory of Robert E. (“Ned”) Behnke and in celebration of his life as an artist. Each year, two $25,000 unrestricted awards are given—one in painting and one in any medium or combination of media grounded in the visual arts—to artists living and working in the greater Puget Sound region. Six finalists will also receive $1,000 and will be included in a group exhibition each June.

History

Ned Behnke was a beloved member of the Behnke Family and a renowned and talented painter. Ned had a passion for the arts that extended beyond his own work. He appreciated the myriad forms that art takes and the way in which art can foster a conscious, vital and more livable world.

After Ned’s untimely death, Shari D. Behnke founded the Neddy in 1996 as a way to honor both his legacy as a visual artist and his deep connection to the Seattle art community. Under the auspices of the Behnke Foundation, the Neddy has become one of the most important art awards in Seattle. The artists who have been recognized have a unique vision and a strong passion for their art as well as for the transformative potential of art to enliven and enrich the world in which they live and practice.

In 2011, the Behnke Foundation transferred the program to Cornish College of the Arts to house and administer the Neddy at Cornish artist award program. Building on the history Ned shared with the College and on the shared commitment of the Foundation and the College to invigorate and sustain communities through art, the Neddy at Cornish program will continue to make two substantial and unrestricted awards to Seattle artists each year. To assist the College, an advisory board of regional arts professionals will offer their external perspective and expertise. For more information on the history of the Neddy awards, visit the Behnke Foundation.

Award Criteria

There are two Neddy awards each year. Recipients will demonstrate artistic distinction through an established body of work and a commitment to their practice. In honor of Ned and his passion for painting, one Neddy celebrates artists that continue to innovate through this traditional medium. Reflecting the ever-increasing possibilities in contemporary art practices, one Neddy honors artists that work in any medium or combination of media grounded in the visual arts.

Ned Behnke embodied Cornish College of the Art’s mission of developing artists as citizens—individuals who create outstanding artwork with an applied consciousness of responsibility to society. As the awards honor Ned’s legacy, Neddy recipients will reflect and embody his belief in the power of art and artists to be positive forces in our world. The criteria for both awards are:

1. Demonstrated commitment to and ongoing development of one’s artistic vision.
2. Demonstrated engagement with the world around them through their art practice, broadly understood.

See the application guidelines for more information on eligibility and award process.

Timeline

• February 3, 2012: Open call application deadline
• March 15 – 30, 2012: Artists notified of finalist status
• April 2012: Studio visits with final juror.
• May 2012: Announcements of awardees
• June – July 2012: The Neddy at Cornish exhibition
• September 2012 – May 2013: Supporting programming, to be developed with the two 2012 awardees

The 2012 Neddy at Cornish Program

The Neddy at Cornish program offers unrestricted $25,000 awards to artists who demonstrate a distinctive artistic practice or perspective and who engage with the community at large. To deepen the impact of these awards, Cornish College of the Arts is excited to undertake a year-long series of events and activities to honor and support the work of the recipients, and will, where feasible, make physical resources available to the artists.

After an initial conversation with program staff, and depending on their interests and availability, the two 2012 Neddy at Cornish artists can elect to suggest or develop programs themselves, or can rely on program staff to shape events that reflect and highlight the awardees’ areas of artistic endeavor. Programming possibilities include, but are not limited to artist talks, studio visits, student critiques, panel discussions, or additional exhibitions. In addition to these programs and the annual exhibition, the College will host an annual Robert E. “Ned” Behnke Lecture, inviting an artist or scholar of stature to the campus for a talk and discussion of timely issues relevant to the mission of the Neddy at Cornish program.

Finalists will be selected by an external group of three regional arts professionals. A juror from outside the region will select the two Neddy artists for the year. Neddy at Cornish program staff members and their immediate family are not eligible to apply for an award, serve as an advisor, or serve as a selection committee member or final juror.

Deadlines

The application is available on the CaFÉ website. The application deadline is February 3, 2012. All applications must be submitted online via the CaFÉ website by 11:59 pm PST on February 3, 2012.

The CaFÉ website will guide applicants through the submission process. Applications sent by mail, submitted in person, or arriving late or incomplete will not be considered.

Please contact us if you have any questions regarding the application process.

Top image:
Easter Lily by Ned Behnke. Enamel on steel; 42”x50”; 1985. Collection of: Mr. & Mrs. Gerard Schwarz

Side image:
untitled, 1985 by Ned Behnke

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