Artworks created by three Tauranga artists have been announced as finalists of the 2017 National Contemporary Art Award.

Those works are Nested Bowls MELISSA by Mount Maunganui's Anett Pilz, The Hidden by Otumoetai's Scott Boardman's, and Korro Korro by Thomas Tooi 1818 by Tauranga's Jo Torr's.

City Gallery Wellington director Elizabeth Caldwell, you is this year's judge, assessed the 236 entries for this year's award, and selected 51 artworks created by 49 artists from across New Zealand.

Elizabeth says finalists were selected through a blind judging process where she reviewed artists' statements, images and optional video works online without seeing the identity of the artist.

'Faced with a tremendous number of submissions and a great variety of media with the entries – jewellery, ceramics, painting, photography, moving image – the preliminary judging has certainly been a challenge.

'While I'm looking forward to seeing the exhibition, I don't think the task of selecting award recipients will be easy as there is some terrific work!”

This is the 18th year of the National Contemporary Art Award, which is managed by Waikato Museum.

Waikato Museum director Cherie Meecham says the calibre of this year's entries was exceptional.

'Narrowing the large number of entries down to a selection of finalists seems to get more difficult every year.

'I wish to thank all of this year's entrants for their contribution to raising the standard of contemporary art in New Zealand, and congratulations to all of the finalists.”

The winner and merit award winners of the National Contemporary Art Award will be announced at the opening ceremony at Waikato Museum on Friday, July 28.

The winner is set to receive $20,000 from the major sponsors, Chow Hill and Tompkins Wake, while the three merit awards winners will each receive $1000 thanks to the Friends of Waikato Museum, Random Art Group and David's Emporium.

The National Contemporary Art Award exhibition will open at the museum from Saturday, July 29, and run until Sunday, November 5. For more information, visit waikatomuseum.co.nz

THE 2017 NATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ART AWARD FINALISTS:

• View – Sarah Smith, Auckland
• Levitation Lesson – Wanda Gillespie, Auckland
• The Artists Encumbrance – Robyn Gibson, Auckland
• Transmuting the Improbable – Sue Reidy, Auckland
• Objectmemory – Hannah Valentine, Auckland
• Settled In the Soil – Vonney Ball, Auckland
• Confined Gods – Jimmy James Kouratoras, Auckland
• See, Look, Sea – Judith Lawson, Auckland
• Promontory – Emma Smith, Auckland
• Red House – Frances Rood, Auckland
• Great North Road - Tiger Murdoch - Auckland
• 'Only Love can Hurt Like This” – Luise Fong, Auckland
• Back to Work: stooks – Margaret Mary, Auckland
• Written in the Bone- West Coast Woman – Naomi Roche, Hamilton
• In place of totems – Julien Dyne, Auckland
• Lost in translation – Sean Beldon, Auckland
• Te Whare Tapa Wha – Anthony Cribb, Auckland
• South Pacific Timber –Ishmael Lotawa, Auckland
• 'One in Four' – Rhiannon James, Christchurch
• Braso Verdi – Thomas Hancock, Christchurch
• Flux – Clara Wells, Christchurch
• Parallel Lines: A state of being in disguise of a cloud – Ina Johann, Christchurch
• Constellations - drawing strength – Edwards & Johann, Christchurch
• High Country Weather – Donna-Marie Patterson, Christchurch
• Lake Lyndon - Waterlog - 140mls – Stefan Roberts, Christchurch
• Slow Inward Fall – Justin Spiers, Dunedin
• The Economy of Law – Justin Spiers, Dunedin
• In the Kitchen of L$D Fundraiser – Justin Spiers, Dunedin
• Fame In Oats: A Manifesto - Manuscript Preparation – Mia Stefano, Dunedin
• Trying to be more Maori: Attempt #1 – Aroha Novak, Dunedin
• 'the meaning of ethics' – Kim Pieters, Dunedin
• Insidious pervasion – Tony Nicholls, Hamilton
• Gas Station #3, 23/3/17 – Mark Purdom, Hamilton
• What Are The Chances? – James Sutherland and Jeremy Mayall, Hamilton
• Still Life – Susan Mabin, Hastings
• Presentation Porker – Gemma Baldock, Invercargill
• Frame and Line – Mel Ford, Levin
• Reading Between The Lines – Mel Ford, Levin
• Nested Bowls MELISSA – Anett Pilz, Mount Maunganui
• Pietà II – Richard McCoy, Nelson
• The line of descent – Andrew Davie, New Plymouth
• The Hidden – Scott Boardman, Otumoetai
• Chrysalid – Sebastien Jaunas, Paekakariki
• Signs of life. Vanity Suite 2017 – Kristin Peren, Queenstown
• Korro Korro by Thomas Tooi 1818 – Jo Torr, Tauranga
• Leftovers reconfigured – Stuart Forsyth, Wellington
• Miss – Vicki Payne, Wellington
• Balustrade – Daniel Rose, Wellington
• Still, I Found All the Pieces – Claudia Latisnere, Wellington
• Hypo-Tension – Alexis Neal, Wellsford
• Raw – Debbie Hahn, Whanganui