The Bennett Prize Announces Distinguished Jury for Round 5

 The Bennett Prize for Women Figurative Realist Painters is proud to announce the five-member jury for Round 5 of its prestigious biennial competition, bringing together an exceptional group of artists, curators, and collectors to identify and honor the next generation of outstanding women figurative realist painters.

The Round 5 jury comprises painter Julie Heffernan, curators Miranda Lash and Dr. Tiffany E. Barber, and collectors Steven Alan Bennett and Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt — the co-founders of The Bennett Prize, who are participating together as jurors for the first time.

"The Jury for Round 5 is so exciting because we are bringing world-class artists, curators, and collectors together," said Amelia Anderson, Director of The Bennett Prize and Curator of Women's Art at the Muskegon Museum of Art. "With all their experience, knowledge, and taste, no doubt they will select another stellar Rising Voices exhibition and winner of The Bennett Prize. Round 5 has an amazing energy surrounding it — I cannot wait to see the entries."

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‍Julie Heffernan is an acclaimed American painter whose work has been described by Rebecca Solnit as a new kind of history painting and by The New Yorker as "ironic rococo surrealism with a social-satirical twist." A Professor of Fine Arts at Montclair State University, Heffernan holds an MFA from Yale School of Art and Architecture and was inducted into the National Academy of Design in 2011. Her honors include a Fulbright-Hayes Grant, an NEA grant, a 2021 NYFA Fellowship, and a 2017 MacDowell Fellowship. Her graphic novel, Babe in the Woods, or the Art of Getting Lost (Algonquin Press), was published in 2024. Her work is held in 25 museum and institutional collections worldwide.

"I'm thrilled to be part of a project dedicated to supporting smart and talented women artists," said Heffernan. "When I was just starting out, winning an NEA individual artist grant made all the difference in helping me launch my career. Now that's gone, but we have the Bennett Prize! Bravo to the Bennetts for their support of great women with powerful visions."

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Miranda Lash is the Ellen Bruss Chief Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver. Her recent work includes serving as co-Artistic Director, alongside 2024 MacArthur Fellow Ebony G. Patterson, of the international art triennial Prospect.6 in New Orleans (2024–2025). She currently serves on the board of the Joan Mitchell Foundation and was a 2022 Fellow at the Center for Curatorial Leadership. Lash is a graduate of Harvard University and the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art.

"I admire the Bennett Prize's commitment to supporting a diverse range of women artists whose work spans a wide breadth of subject matter," said Lash. "At a time when support for artists is increasingly imperiled, it is heartening to see organizations remain steadfast in their dedication to fostering artistic practice through direct support and promotion."

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Dr. Tiffany E. Barber is an award-winning scholar, curator, and critic and Assistant Professor of African American Art at UCLA. Her work reshapes how we understand race, gender, and representation, drawing on art history, performance theory, and Black feminist thought. Her debut monograph, Undesirability and Her Sisters: Black Women's Visual Work and the Ethics of Representation (NYU Press, 2025), has cemented her reputation as a leading voice in contemporary art and culture. Her accolades include the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery Director's Essay Prize, and her commentary has appeared in The Nation, Frieze, Tate Etc., and beyond.

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"Being a juror for the fifth iteration of this important prize aligns with the work I do as an art historian, curator, and critic,” said Barber. “It's an honor to support visionary women artists whose bold, uncompromising perspectives on figurative art not only redefine contemporary painting but also inspire the next generation of creative voices."

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Steven Alan Bennett established The Bennett Collection of Women Realists in 2009, building a collection limited to figurative realist paintings of women by women artists. Together with Dr. Schmidt, he co-founded The Bennett Prize Fund at The Pittsburgh Foundation to celebrate and promote women figurative realists. Bennett holds a BA in Art History from the University of Notre Dame and pursued a fine arts degree at the University of Kansas.

"We are always pleased to have such extraordinary and accomplished professionals act as outside jurors for The Bennett Prize," said Bennett. "Elaine and I have never judged the competition together and we are anticipating a lively and spirited debate. As a couple, we approach our Collection with different perspectives — but at the intersection of our differing points of view, we have managed to create an art collection that reflects our commitment to women figurative realist painters. No matter what anyone says to the contrary, there is strength in diversity."

Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt is co-founder of The Bennett Prize and co-curator of The Bennett Collection. She holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Temple University and has curated exhibitions including Visions of Venus/Venus's Visions at the Zhou B Art Center in Chicago (2018) and, with Bennett, Painting the Figure Now at the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art (2021). She and Bennett are major donors to the Muskegon Museum of Art, which opened its new wing, the Bennett Schmidt Pavilion, in 2025.

"We feel very fortunate that the 5th group of jurors maintain the high standard of expertise that has come to be associated with The Bennett Prize," said Schmidt. "This is the first time that Steven and I have both been on the jury. We bring very different lenses to the task of evaluating art as well as strong opinions about our individual preferences. I'm anticipating that this round of deliberations is going to be very animated and interesting."

The Bennett Prize is the largest prize in the United States exclusively dedicated to women figurative realist painters. The Prize supports women artists in launching and advancing their careers through financial support, exhibition, and national recognition. Round 5 entries open on April 13. For more information, visit thebennettprize.org.