Elevating Photography

Elevating the role of photography.

Photography continues to play an increasingly important role in artistic and creative practice in Australia. BFF encourages and nurtures recognition of photography as an artistic medium through support of commissions, exhibitions for emerging, established, and iconic artists both locally and internationally, and through the annual Bowness Photography Prize.

William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize

The Bowness Photography Prize, established by Bill Bowness AO in 2006, is an annual $50,000 acquisitive prize run by the Museum of Australian Photography. An open entry prize, it showcases work by emerging and established artists and is one of Australia’s most prestigious art prizes and an important annual survey of contemporary photographic practices in Australia.

Anna Higgins’ work Two Horizons won the Prize in 2025. Past Prize winners can be found here.

The Museum of Australian Photography is the Australian home of photography. Located in Wheelers Hill, it is Australia’s leading public art gallery devoted to the collection and exhibition of photography and engaging local, national and international audiences in arts and cultural experiences. BFF has been a long-term supporter, providing support for exhibitions, international tours, publications, and digitisation of the collection.

PHOTO Australia brought photography into public life. Photo Australia Festivals between 2020 and 2024 showcased hundreds of artists to over 600,000 visitors across Victoria. In 2025 it facilitated a landmark exhibition of contemporary Australian photography at the prestigious Recontres d’Arles Festival in France, with ‘On Country: Photography from Australia’. Tony Albert and David Charles Collin’s ‘Warakurna Superheroes’ were highlights of the French Festival.
Photo Australia’s legacy lives on in the work it inspired, the stories it elevated and the cultural conversations it helped shape.

Photographer: Rennie Ellis

Support provided includes the establishment of the Bowness Family Endowment Fund for Photography, which is solely focused on developing and strengthening the NGVs international photography collection. It has enabled the NGV to acquire more than 100 works by leading international and women artists since 2008, contributed to publications and assisted with digitising the photography collection.

William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize

The Bowness Photography Prize is a $50,000 acquisitive prize held annually by the Museum of Australian Photography. It is Australia’s richest and one of the most prestigious art prizes, and an important annual survey of contemporary photographic practices in Australia. Established in 2006 by Bill Bowness AO the Prize is an open entry prize and showcases work by emerging and established artists.

Ann Higgins won the Prize in 2025 with ‘Two Horizons’

Former Prize winners can be found here.

PHOTO Australia is a new vision for photography in Australia. Held Biennially, Photo 2024 showcases 100 free exhibitions across Victoria, connecting Australia with the international photography community and galvanising Melbourne’s role as a global hub for photography and visual art. BFF is proud to be a founding and ongoing partner.

Photographer: Zanele Muholi | Somnyama Ngonyama Series

Support provided includes the establishment of the Bowness Family Endowment Fund for Photography, which is solely focused on developing and strengthening the NGVs international photography collection. It has enabled the NGV to acquire more than 100 works by leading international and women artists since 2008, contributed to publications, and assisted with digitising the photography collection.

At the heart of Melbourne’s culture of creativity, the Melbourne Festival, now reformed as Rising, curates unique local and international experiences that bring people together and break new ground in culture and the arts. We are delighted to be supporting the performance of the Back to Back Theatre Company at the 2021 Rising Festival.

FireGardens. Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Photographer: David Cook

Photographer: Anne Moffat

The Abbotsford Convent’s Music in the Round Festival delivers a fresh and exciting mix of exceptional classical music performers and repertoires – from classics like Beethoven, to Australia’s leading composers – in the convent’s stunning venues. We are proud to support this Festival, which provides an opportunity for the community to engage with high quality performances in this unique venue.