The John McCaughey Prize,[1][2] also known as the John McCaughey Memorial Art Prize,[3][4] McCaughey Prize, McCaughey Art Prize or McCaughey Art Award, is an Australian art prize awarded to an artist or artists, under which the National Gallery of Victoria and the Art Gallery of New South Wales acquire work by the winning artist.
The John McCaughey Memorial Prize was instituted by Mona McCaughey in 1957, to commemorate her father John, an Irish-born pastoral industry investor who had died in Sydney on 20 June 1928.
John was the younger brother of Sir Samuel McCaughey, also a pastoralist.
[5] Two prizes were established, one in Melbourne (administered through the National Gallery of Victoria) and one in Sydney (administered through the Art Gallery of New South Wales).
As an acquisitive prize, it enables the National Gallery of Victoria to acquire works from each of the winning artists.