Armidale artist and photographer Mike Terry has been shortlisted for the 2025 Galah Regional Photography Prize, Australia’s richest photography competition for regional artists.
Selected from more than 1,100 entries across all corners of regional Australia, Mike is among 37 contemporary photographers to be shortlisted for the competition that carries a total prize pool of $27,000.
His work will be showcased alongside 42 standout images in a major exhibition at the New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM) in Armidale, NSW, from April 11.
The winners will be revealed at a celebratory exhibition party at NERAM on Friday, May 2, 2025.
“It is a huge honour to be included in the prize, I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but the fact it is here in the hometown of Armidale this year, and at NERAM, a place that is so familiar and vital to artists in the area, raises the stakes and makes it very special.” said Mike.
“The photograph was taken in Rockhampton, QLD last year at Beef Week, Australia’s international cattle industry exposition. I started exploring agricultural themes in the United States as a photojournalist a few decades ago and this has grown into commercial and artistic work around where people, animals, and the landscape meet.”
“The centre ring at Beef Week, where some of the most beautiful cattle I’ve ever seen are shown is such an intriguing blend of sport, skill, knowledge exchange, and pageantry, I was trying make images of the simplest possible symbols and shapes to represent these layers and the ringed nose poking through the white coats is one of my favourite images from the series.”
“The best part about events like this is getting to meet other artists and photographers. It’s a huge win for NERAM to host the prize, and GALAH magazine have done such a fantastic job in bringing artists together to share what makes living and working regionally so meaningful.”
Galah founder Annabelle Hickson says the prize was created to celebrate the incredible talent thriving beyond metropolitan art hubs, showcasing the diversity, complexity, and beauty of regional Australia.
“The quality of work submitted this year is remarkable, and it’s a privilege to provide a platform where regional photographers can share their stories, perspectives, and technical brilliance with a wider audience,” Ms Hickson said.
The Galah Regional Photography Prize has attracted some of the most respected names in Australian publishing and photography to its judging panel.
The 2025 panel includes:
- Rachael Parsons | Director, NERAM
- Katrina Strickland | Editor, Good Weekend magazine, one of Australia’s most highly regarded long-form journalism and photography publications
- Adam Ferguson | multi-award-winning photographer and winner of the 2023 Galah Regional Photography Prize
- Hugh Stewart | One of Australia’s most celebrated portrait photographers, known for his work with Vanity Fair, The New York Times, and Rolling Stone
- Fiona Bateman | Art Editor, Galah, a publication dedicated to capturing the creativity and cultural richness of regional Australia
All finalist works will be available for sale during the exhibition, with the option for photographers to offer limited edition print runs.
Recognising that the costs of printing, framing, and freight can often prevent regional artists from showcasing their work, Galah has launched an Artist Subsidy Fund. This fund will be divided equally among the 40 finalists to help offset exhibition expenses.
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