In recent times, CAPO has been able to contribute to Canberra’s art scene outside of its annual Auction Party and the Emerging Artists’ Prize. Here are some of the areas CAPO has been able to make a difference.
M16 Artspace Drawing Prize
From 2014 to 2017 CAPO provided one of the prizes for M16’s own Drawing Prize, and in 2014 we provided First Prize. The winner that year was Cat Mueller. In subsequent years CAPO funded 2nd Prize for this competition, and the winners have been:
2015 – Andrea McCuaig
2016 – Kellie O’Dempsey
2017 – Chris Carmody
CAPO looks forward to continuing our relationship with M16’s Drawing Prize into the future.
ANU School of Art and Design Emerging Artist Support Scheme (EASS)

Rebecca Hinwood, Green Grey 2013, Stainless Steel with powder coating and enamel paint, 8 x 8 x 6 cm
CAPO has supported EASS for a number of years, on each occasion providing an Acquisitive Award for an artwork that is subsequently entered into CAPO’s own Auction. In 2013, CAPO gave an award to Rebecca Hinwood, and her work subsequently sold in the CAPO Auction that year. In 2014, CAPO’s EASS award went to Lara Nott. In subsequent years we have presented the CAPO EASS Award to Zoe Brand (2015), Shanti Shea An (2016), Ada Hui Zhang (2017), Katrina Leske (2018) and Henrietta Farrelly-Barnett (2019).
In 2014 CAPO added an important new award to its commitment to EASS – the CAPO Curatorial Internship Award. Given to outstanding Art History graduates each year, this award effectively provides curators – mentored by CAPO – for the CAPO Emerging Artists’ Prize exhibition, the first of which was held in May 2015 at M16 Artspace.
The Curatorial Internship Awards given to date are:
2014 – Ella Morrison and Hannah Webb
2015 – Oscar Capezio and Gemma Pike
2016 – Clare Fealy and Emily Stewart
2017 – Angus McGrath
2018 – Francis Kenna
2019 – Sophia Halloway
CAPO Emerging Artists’ Prize
The Emerging Artist’s Prize of $500 is awarded to an artist in this exhibition by a panel of

Monica Styles, Disposable Woman 3, 2016
independent judges. Awards to date are:
2015 – Kael Stasce
2016 – Jacob Potter
2017 – Monica Styles
2018 – Bryan Foong
2019 – Sheida Sabetraftar