Now in its second year, the Prompted Peculiar – International AI Prize brings us squarely into the rapidly evolving world of AI-generated imagery. This global competition explores the intersection of creativity and technology, inviting artists to use Artificial Intelligence as a tool to generate visual art through the act of prompting.

As AI continues to shape contemporary visual culture, this prize sparks timely conversation around authorship, authenticity and the role of ‘promptography’ – a term popularised when photographer Boris Eldagsen declined a major international award, stating that his AI-generated image was ‘not photography’.

The prize awards $2,000 to the overall winner, selected by a panel of jurors and $1,000 to the recipient of the People’s Choice Award. A curated shortlist of finalist works will be exhibited during the festival, with visitors encouraged to cast their vote.

Please note that this exhibition is located upstairs in a heritage building and there is no lift.

JUDGES

Annika Nordenskiöld, visual artist and Promptographer
Vanessa Gerrans, CEO and Artistic Director, Ballarat International Foto Biennale

FINALISTS

Ali Choudhry
Adrian Elton
Mike Gray
Mark Kimber
Nic Kocher
Brent Leideritz
Heidi Margocsy
Mel McVeigh
Peter Miller
Johanna Ng
Hanna Silver
Peter Sparkman

Main image: Hanna Silver, I’m the only one in here, promptography, 2025.

Carousel images (detail):

Ali Choudhry, Thoughtful Refusals, 2025
Adrian Elton, Meta Inversion 02, 2025
Mike Gray, The River, 2024
Mark Kimber, They Leapt into the Flames, 2025
Nic Kocher, Fredy, 2025
Brent Leideritz, Mulholland Lynch Brentwood Monroe, 2025
Heidi Margocsy, Dear America, 2025
Mel McVeigh, no-aphrodisiac-like-loneliness-01, 2025
Peter Miller, Liminal Landscapes, 2025
Johanna Ng, a woman in a black dress is laughing with another woman, 2024
Hanna Silver, I’m The Only One In Here, 2025
Peter Sparkman, Black Hill Tip Rats Abduct Resident’s Babies, 2024