The Bald Archy is an Australian art prize, which parodies the prestigious portraiture award, the Archibald Prize. It usually includes cartoons or humorous works making fun of Australian celebrities.
History
It was founded in 1994[1] by theatre director and actor Peter Batey,[2] it is judged by Maude, Batey's cockatoo.[3] The winning 2023 portrait featured Batey flying through a cloud filled sky on the back of Maud the cockatoo.[4]
When asked about the prizes' choice of judge, Batey states:
“It takes 12 galahs to judge the Archibald but only one cockatoo to judge the Bald Archy,” - Peter Batey OAM, 2016 [5]
Since 2005, the home of the competition and its accompanying exhibition has been the Museum of the Riverina, Wagga Wagga. However, in 2008, the prize was announced during the Canberra portion of the national tour.
Peter Batey bequeathed the past winning portraits and the rights to run the annual prize to the Museum of the Riverina in Wagga Wagga. The Museum relaunched the Prize in February 2023.[1]
In 2024, the touring exhibition visited Australian regional galleries including Holbrook, Deniliquin, Corowa, Temora and finishes in Wagga Wagga in New South Wales.
