The National Prize for Plastic Arts (), also called the National Prize for Visual Arts, is the highest recognition granted by the government of Chile to a national artist. As part of the National Prize of Chile it is given to a person "due to their excellence, creativity, transcendent contribution to national culture and to the development of these fields and areas of knowledge and the arts".
The award was created in 1992 under Law 19169 as one category for the replacements of the National Prize of Art. The other categories are Musical Arts and Performing and Audiovisual Arts. It is granted "to the person who has distinguished himself by his achievements in the respective area of the arts" (Article 8 of the aforementioned law).
The prize is awarded every odd year. It consists of a diploma, a cash prize, and a monthly lifetime pension. The cash prize is adjusted every year, according to the previous year's consumer price index. In 2025 it was $6,562,457 pesos (). The monthly pension is 20 (approximately US $1,600).
Jury All National Prize juries include: Minister of Cultures, Arts and Heritage Rector of the University of Chile Last award recipient
Jury for the Visual Arts Prize also includes: A representative of the Chilean Academy of Fine Arts An academic appointed by the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities Two outstanding creators in the field of visual arts in the country, appointed by the National Council of Cultures, Arts and Heritage
Laureates
YearLaureatePhotoDisciplineExample workName 1993 Sergio Montecino Montalva Painter 1995 Lily Garafulic Sculptor Imagen para el Bicentenario 1997 Sergio Castillo Mandiola Sculptor Erupción 1999 José Balmes Painter Corazón de hueso blanco 2001 Rodolfo Opazo Bernales Painter, sculptor Imágenes de barrio 2003 Gonzalo Díaz Cuevas Painter, photographer 2005 Eugenio Dittborn Visual artist La cocina y la guerra 2007 Guillermo Núñez Painter, cartoonist 2009 Federico Assler Sculptor Doble relieve y columna 2011 Gracia Barrios Painter Imagen con caballo negro 2013 Alfredo Jaar Visual artist One Million Finnish Passports 2015 Roser Bru Painter, engraver 2017 Paz Errázuriz Photographer 2019 Eduardo Vilches Prieto Painter 2021 Francisco Gazitúa Sculptor Esmeralda II 2023 Cecilia Vicuña Visual artist Eman si pasión - Parti si pasión (1974) 2025 Alejandro González Painter and scenographer Tribute to Women's Day (2016)
References