National Emerging Art Prize
Project Overview
The National Emerging Art Prize (NEAP) is Australia's largest emerging artist prize, supporting artists through submissions, judging, exhibitions, and artwork sales. They needed a comprehensive digital platform to handle their annual competition and ongoing gallery operations.
We built a custom web application that manages the entire prize lifecycle - from artist submissions and judging workflows to exhibition promotion and artwork sales. The platform serves multiple audiences: artists submitting work, judges reviewing submissions, gallery visitors browsing exhibitions, and collectors purchasing artwork.
The Challenge
Complex Submission Process
Managing hundreds of artist submissions with different artwork types, dimensions, and requirements. The existing process was manual and error-prone.
Judging Workflow
Coordinating multiple judges across different locations, ensuring fair evaluation, and managing the progression through judging rounds.
Exhibition Management
Promoting finalists, managing exhibition details, and providing an engaging online experience for gallery visitors and art collectors.
Artwork Sales
Enabling secure artwork purchases, managing inventory, handling shipping calculations, and providing collector services.
Our Solution
Custom Submission Portal
Built a sophisticated submission system allowing artists to upload work, manage their profiles, track submission status, and communicate with organizers. Includes image optimization, file validation, and progress saving.
Judging Platform
Developed a secure judging interface with blind review capabilities, scoring systems, comment threads, and progression management through multiple judging rounds.
Exhibition Gallery
Created an immersive online gallery showcasing finalists with high-resolution images, artist statements, exhibition details, and virtual viewing capabilities.
eCommerce Integration
Implemented secure artwork purchasing with inventory management, shipping calculations, payment processing, and collector communication tools.
Results
Operational Efficiency
Reduced submission processing time by 75% through automation and improved workflows. Judges can review submissions 3x faster with the new platform.
Artist Experience
95% artist satisfaction rate with the submission process. Increased submission quality and completion rates through better user experience.
Sales Growth
40% increase in artwork sales through improved online gallery and purchasing experience. Average order value increased by 25%.
Visitor Engagement
60% increase in time spent on exhibition pages and 45% reduction in bounce rate. Mobile engagement improved by 80%.
Technical Implementation
Platform Architecture
Custom-built web application using modern stack with secure user authentication, role-based access control, and scalable database design.
Key Features
- Multi-role user system (artists, judges, admins, collectors)
- Advanced image processing and optimization
- Real-time collaboration tools for judging
- Secure payment processing and inventory management
- Responsive design for all devices
- SEO optimization for exhibition pages
- Integration with shipping and payment APIs
Performance & Security
Optimized for high traffic during submission periods and exhibition launches. Implements industry-standard security for user data and payment processing.
Client Feedback
"The platform Skyrocket built has transformed how we run the National Emerging Art Prize. What used to take months of manual work now happens seamlessly in the background. Our judges love the system, artists find it intuitive, and we're selling more artwork than ever before."
— Director, National Emerging Art Prize
Ongoing Partnership
We continue to support NEAP with platform improvements, new feature development, and technical maintenance. Recent enhancements include virtual exhibition capabilities, artist portfolio features, and enhanced collector services.
The platform has become the foundation for NEAP's growth, allowing them to expand their reach and impact in the Australian arts community while maintaining operational excellence.