Clarence Prize 2025

The City of Clarence is delighted to announce the winner of this year’s prestigious $20,000 Clarence Prize, Ash Allen, for his piece ‘Beanless’, crafted from Australian-made steel mesh flocked in deep red.

For his winning piece, Melbourne-based designer Ash Allen developed a unique process of wrapping and welding steel mesh around timber moulds, transforming the humble beanbag into an heirloom-quality design object.

Two additional non-acquisitive prizes have also been awarded; the Highly Commended Prize to Adam Markowitz and Ruth Allen for Kindling, and the Emerging Designer Prize to Jess Humpston for Ballast.

This year’s winners were selected from a shortlist of fifteen finalists who were invited to present their realised designs for exhibition and judging at Rosny Farm, including three Tasmanian designers. With the finalists in turn selected from 46 entries received for the prestigious biennial Prize this year from around Australia.

The winners were publicly announced on Saturday 6 September at the Official Opening Event at The Barn.

The exhibition is open until Sunday 5 October.

Held biennially, the Clarence Prize is one of Australia’s most significant awards for contemporary furniture design and is renowned for showcasing the most innovative and exceptional furniture designers in the nation

Presented by the City of Clarence, it’s the nation’s richest acquisitive furniture-design prize, with the winning piece joining the permanent Clarence Art Collection.

Finalists are selected for their originality, use of materials, and the way their work speaks to sustainability, innovation, and place.

This year’s judges were:

• Jane Valentine (TAS), a multi award-winning interior designer and co-chair of the Design Institute of Australia; 
• Brian Parkes (SA), CEO of JamFactory in Adelaide, with over 30 years’ experience in Australia’s craft and design sector; and 
• Patrick Hall (TAS), a widely acclaimed Tasmanian artist whose works are held in major national collections, including MONA, TMAG, the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, and the National Gallery of Australia.

The exhibition is presented at Rosny Farm, with major winners selected by a national panel of judges. Past winners have gone on to national acclaim, while the prize itself continues to shape the story of Australian design from the edge of the island.

The 2025 Clarence Prize exhibition runs until Sunday 5 October at The Barn.