Five thousand dollars in additional prize money will be included in this year’s Wyndham Art Prize, taking the total competition prize pool to $24,500.
Now in its seventh year, the annual contemporary art prize attracts entries from some of the best artists across Australia and offers a chance for local and emerging artists to exhibit alongside them.
In 2021, prize money for the competition will include a $12,000 non-acquisitive prize, a $5,000 acquisitive Local Emerging Art Prize and a $2,500 People’s Choice Award sponsored by Arts Assist.
An additional prize the TREAT – A Socially Engaged Art Prize is included in this year’s competition.
TREAT is a $5000 commission for an artist to work within the Wyndham community and with the research initiative, the Public Art Commission, from Deakin University.
The artist will develop a project alongside TREATMENT III, presented in partnership with the Wyndham Art Gallery in September 2021. TREATMENT III is a series of place-based public art projects in Melbourne’s West curated by David Cross and Cameron Bishop of Deakin University.
Wyndham City Mayor, Cr Adele Hegedich said the prize strengthened the city’s reputation as a place where art is valued and central to residents’ experience.
“For the past six years the Wyndham Art Prize has attracted entries from artists from across Australia and developed our reputation for curating and presenting a diverse and contemporary program of art,” Cr Hegedich said.
“The prize has grown in both quality and reputation and the inclusion of local artists in the shortlisting should provide the local creative community with an incentive to be involved.”
Creative City portfolio holder, Cr Marcel Mahfoud supported the inclusion of a local art prize and encouraged Wyndham artists to enter the competition.
“LEAP (Local Emerging Art Prize), is an acquisitive prize where the winning work becomes part of the Wyndham City Contemporary Art Collection,” Cr Mahfoud said.
“Artworks can take any form, including (but not limited to) sculpture, painting, drawing, printmaking, textiles, photography, installation, sound digital, video.”
“With one month to go before the competition closes we encourage all interested artists to submit their work.”
Shortlisted entries are selected by the Wyndham Art Gallery curatorial team and then winners are selected to be judged by an external panel of judges.
Four monetary prizes are available:
Prize: $12,000 non-acquisitive
Local Emerging Art Prize: $5,000 acquisitive
People’s Choice Award: $2,500 prize sponsored by Arts Assist
TREAT – Socially Engaged Art Prize: $5000 prize
Key Dates
Entries close: 21 February 2021
All finalists notified by: 16 March 2021
Finalists to deliver works to Wyndham Art Gallery: 20 and 22 April 2021
Exhibition opening: 13 May 2021, 6:30pm – 8:30pm,
Wyndham Art Gallery, 177 Watton Street, Werribee and online via a digital exhibition
People’s Choice Award announced: 08 July 2021
Finalist exhibition: 13 May – 27 June 2021
