Madeleine Preston (1968-2022)
Madeleine Preston Female Artist Award (MPFAA)
The MPFAA was made possible through a trust fund from the estate of Madeleine’s mother, the late Yvonne Preston.
Durning Madeleine’s illness, Yvonne, a renowned journalist and foreign correspondent spoke with Madeleine about setting up an award in her name. You can read an article about Yvonne’s work as a correspndent and jounalist by esteemded journalist Malcolm Brown here
Madeleine was pleased with the idea of the award suggesting the award should be a female only award.
After Yvonne passed away in 2024, I have worked with the good folk at Equity Assets to bring the inaugural prize to fruition.
We have received a large number of applications where the judges for the award - Lynda Draper, Samantha Ferris and Tina Havelock Stevens will be selecting a group of finalists.
The finalists will have their work exhibited at Home@735 Gallery, with the opening and award ceremony taking place on Wednesday the 18th of November 2026.
There are two awards: the MPFAA with a $10,000 prize and a highly commended award of $3,000.
Madeleine Preston (1968-2022) was a painter and sculptor who used materials often viewed as the province of women combining ceramics, textiles, and painting in installations that comment on how value is determined through gender.
She was a finalist in the Sulman, Mosman, Blake and Eutick Prizes, and in 2017 was awarded the Woollahra Small Sculpture special commendation prize. She was the recipient of several grants including an Australia Council Development Grant, A Copyright Ignite Grant and a NAVA artists Grant.
Madeleine exhibited nationally in institutional and commercial galleries, including at Melbourne’s Gertrude Contemporary, Pom Pom Galerie and Sydney Contemporary with Blackartprojects. She had undertaken residencies at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris and the Slade in London. In 2019 she was awarded a Full Sculpture Fellowship at the Vermont Studio Center in the USA.
Madeleine taught at UNSW | Art & Design and lectured at the National Art School.
She was a co-director of Home@735 Gallery in Redfern, which was established in 2013.
