The Jack K. and Gertrude Murphy Award and the Edwin Anthony and Adalaine Boudreaux Cadogan Scholarships help fuel the forward-thinking visual arts movement that makes the Bay Area unique. Established in 1986, these awards further the development of Bay Area MFA students and foster the exploration of their artistic potential. The winners of the Murphy Award and the Cadogan Scholarships receive financial awards (award amounts to be determined when applications reopen) and displays their work in a professionally curated group exhibition at SOMArts Cultural Center.

This exhibition and program is produced in partnership with the San Francisco Foundation. The San Francisco Foundation is committed to a Bay Area where everyone can get a good job, live in a safe and affordable home, and exercise their political voice. The Foundation advances its work through grantmaking, partnerships with donors, policy advocacy, and impact investing.

How To Apply and Deadline

Applications open
Friday, March 15, 2024
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Application Deadline
Friday, April 19, 2024, 11:59 PM PST
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Eligibility

  • The Murphy Award and Cadogan Scholarships are available to Bay Area MFA (not MA) students to underwrite tuition for their continued academic study. These awards assist students enrolled in an MFA program to develop and explore their artistic potential in painting, sculpture, hybrid practice, installation art, mixed media, drawing, and photography. See this guide to check if you are eligible to apply.
  • Students must have completed at least one semester of graduate study as of January 1, 2024, be continuously enrolled in the same program, and be in good standing through Fall 2024. Award recipients may be required to provide proof of continuing school enrollment through Fall 2024.
  • Previous winners of the Murphy or Cadogan awards are not eligible to apply.
  • There is no application fee.

2023 Murphy & Cadogan Contemporary Art Awardees

Work Samples

Recent Work: We will only accept artwork samples that were completed in 2022, 2023, or 2024. Work must be created solely by the applicant; collaborations are not accepted. All work samples must be uploaded with your application to be considered for the award.

Gericault De La Rosa
Embrace: Wall of Gericault
2022 Murphy Awardee

Submission Formats

Applicants will be allowed to submit work samples in two formats

Image Work Sample

Applicants will upload (1) Work Sample PDF that includes up to 10 image based work samples with the artwork details (title, year, media, dimensions) for each work and optional 50 word maximum description for each work. Work Sample .pdf must not exceed file size limit of 10mb. Name the file with the following format ‘LastNameFirstName_Work Sample.’ – Upload the .pdf onto the SlideRoom application.

Time-Based Media Work Samples

Applicant submitting time-based media (i.e. video or audio) will be prompted to provide URL link(s) to an online video streaming platform and artwork information directly on SlideRoom. If links are password protected, be sure to provide the password.

Combination of still images with time-based media

1 minute of time-based media is equal to 1 image (e.g. you can submit 2 minutes of time-based media and 8 images, 3 minutes of time-based media and 7 images, etc.). If you plan to submit all time-based media as you work samples, you may not to exceed a total of 10 minutes.

  • Maximum of 10 work samples will be accepted per submission. Additional samples exceeding the maximum will not be reviewed.
  • Work samples can include performance aspects of movement and/or interaction if artists’ practice encompasses this. Applicants can clarify this relationship within the one sentence (50 words or fewer) description accompanying the particular work sample.

Questions?

Please email [email protected]

Past Exhibitions

  • 2023 Murphy & Cadogan Contemporary Art Awards Exhibition

    2023 Murphy & Cadogan Contemporary Art Awards Exhibition

    September 15, 2023 -

    October 6, 2023

  • 2022 Murphy & Cadogan Contemporary Art Awards Exhibition

    2022 Murphy & Cadogan Contemporary Art Awards Exhibition

    September 10, 2022 -

    October 7, 2022

  • 2021 Murphy & Cadogan Contemporary Art Awards Exhibition

    2021 Murphy & Cadogan Contemporary Art Awards Exhibition

    September 11, 2021 -

    October 3, 2021

  • 2020 Murphy & Cadogan Art Awards Exhibition

    2020 Murphy & Cadogan Art Awards Exhibition

    October 1, 2020 -

    October 1, 2020

  • 2017 Murphy & Cadogan Contemporary Art Awards Exhibition

    2017 Murphy & Cadogan Contemporary Art Awards Exhibition

    September 7, 2017 -

    September 29, 2017

  • The Annual Murphy and Cadon Contemporary Art Awards Exhibition

    The Annual Murphy and Cadon Contemporary Art Awards Exhibition

    September 1, 2016 -

    September 24, 2016