The Print Council of Australia (PCA) is a national not-for-profit member organisation that promotes contemporary Australian fine art printmaking and print media, including artist books, zines and works on paper, and provides support and advocacy for artists. 

In 2017 the PCA launched a writing competition in honour of Ursula Hoff, an influential print curator and historian, one of the founding members and first President of the PCA.

The PCA is currently inviting submissions from art historians, curators and writers to submit an original research essay that considers an aspect of Australian print culture over the past 50 years, for the second Ursula Hoff Essay to be published in the PCA’s Summer Issue of Imprint. 

General Manager of PCA, Marguerite Brown explains how the idea for the Ursula Hoff essay came about. “The idea for this opportunity came about as a way to honour the rich legacy of Dr Hoff's involvement in the Australian print world, particularly in the 1960s post-war period when there was a great surge of activity in Australian printmaking, and Dr Hoff was a leading figure in this movement” said Brown.

“It was at this time that the Print Council was founded to further cement this renewed interest. We partnered with the Ursula Hoff Institute to think of a concept that would honour the spirit of Dr. Hoff's incredible work in the field, while also creating a new opportunity that supports arts writing in the arena of print studies.”

In 2017, Simon Gregg, Curator Gippsland Regional Art Gallery was awarded the opportunity, for his work 'Conversations through time' which examined connections between historical and contemporary printmakers.  

Submissions will be assessed by a selection panel, and one writer will be commissioned to produce an original 2000 word essay and will receive $1100.00 for their work.

The Print Council of Australia is supported by the City of Yarra.

Deadline for Submissions – Monday 2nd July, 2018 (5pm EST)

Successful Applicant Notified – Week beginning Monday 23rd July, 2018

Deadline for Finished Essay – Monday 8th October, 2018

More information:

http://www.printcouncil.org.au/the-ursula-hoff-essay-for-imprint/