March 14, 2011
Call for Queensland Art Prizes Entries
The Sunshine Coast has long been recognised as an area rich with nationally acclaimed professional artists and craftspeople, galleries, collectors and art enthusiasts. Through the passion and vision of these people the Sunshine Coast also now hosts a fantastic range of art prizes, scholarships and bequests on offer to a national audience.
The Sunshine Coast Art Prize is entering its sixth consecutive year and every year the bar has been raised higher with this 2D art prize attracting a dynamic range of Australia’s most talented artists. The Prize is not only one of the richest regional acquisition prizes in Australia with the winner receiving a $20,000 cash and residency prize, it has become a highlight of the national arts calendar earning acclaim for its representation of contemporary Australian art.
Council’s Cultural Heritage and Collections Manager, John Waldron enthuses, “The artists who participate, whether they are younger emerging artists or more established professionals, consistently produce an extremely high standard of art work. Past winners include Shane Pickett, Tony Albert, Scott Redford, Peter Hudson and Miles Hall all of whom applaud the opportunity the Prize provides.”
In testament to the appeal of these prizes, each year has attracted well-respected industry professionals as judges. This year is no exception with the Sunshine Coast Art Prize and the Noosa Regional Gallery Travelling Scholarship fortunate to have New York and Sydney based curator Maura Reilly judging the respective forty finalists selected for each exhibition.
The Noosa Regional Gallery Travelling Scholarship is a national contemporary 3D art prize enabling the winner to undertake study or training interstate or overseas to the value of $12,000 and a solo exhibition with Noosa Regional Gallery. Waldron explains, “Travelling scholarships provide an artist with a unique opportunity to explore and challenge their artistic practice. The influences and inspiration develop their talent and enrich their careers”.
The Noosa Stone Sculpture Bequest is the third in the suite of prizes, enabling the winning sculptor the opportunity to travel and study for two months at a studio in Carrara, Italy. Following the Carrara residency the artist will then return to Australia to complete their own stone sculpture that will be part of a sculptural walk in the Noosa Botanic Gardens. The Gardens are the fortunate recipient of a $200,000 bequest made possible by an anonymous donor. The gift of the first sculpture has been awarded to well known American sculptor M.J. Anderson and as the inaugural sculpture, it has just been installed in the gardens for permanent public display.
Artists across Australia are encouraged to make sure their entry is in on time for any one the Sunshine Coast’s prestigious art prizes on offer. The closing date for The Sunshine Coast Art Prize, The Noosa Regional Gallery Travelling Scholarship and the Noosa Stone Sculpture Bequest is 31st March and if past years are anything to go by they will again be a hotly contested competitions.
Sunshine Coast Art Prize 2011
2D Contemporary Australian Art Exhibition to be held 6 July – 11 September 2011
Caloundra Regional Gallery, Queensland
Prize: $20,000 including a four-week residency
Noosa Regional Gallery Travelling Scholarship
3D Contemporary Australian Art Exhibition to be held 27 July – 11 September 2011
Noosa Regional Gallery, Queensland
Prize: Study or training interstate or overseas to the value of $12,000 and solo exhibition with Noosa Regional Gallery
www.travellingscholarship.org.au
Noosa Stone Sculpture Bequest
A national stone sculpture opportunity
Noosa Botanic Gardens, Cooroy, Queensland
Prize: $25,000 includes travel and study for two months in a studio in Carrara Italy
Entries for all prizes close 31 March 2011
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If you are interested in reporting on just one of the prizes, there are individual releases available. For further media information and high resolution images, please contact Helen from Fresh PR & Marketing on 0431 065 964 or helen@freshprm.com.au
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