CALLING ALL ARTISTS: $25,000 on offer for Fraser Coast National Art Prize

Artists are being rallied to submit works for the inaugural Girra: Fraser Coast National Art Prize.

Entries are now being accepted until 21 June 2023.

The prize offers an exciting opportunity for contemporary artists working in any visual art form to showcase their work and potentially become a significant early acquisition for the newly focused art collection of the Fraser Coast.

Acting Director and Senior Curator at the University of Queensland Art Museum and Art Prize judge Peta Rake said she was honoured to be involved with the competition.

“Butchulla Country is well regarded for its natural diversity and its strong cultural connections to country, so I am humbled to be asked to be part of this jury,” she said.

Rake said the prize on offer would make a real difference to an artist’s career.

“I am looking forward to seeing a diverse range of applications--from the emerging to established artists--that are deeply thinking about the importance of storytelling and enduring narratives,” she said.

“A prize of $25,000 is a transformational amount of money for an artist.

“This level of support goes a long way to develop new projects and ongoing studio practices.”

Fraser Coast Regional Councillor David Lewis said the new initiative would be an important key in cementing the Hervey Bay Regional Gallery (HBRG) as a place of consequence known for excellence.

“The HBRG was recently referred to as the best regional gallery in Australia by a nationally renowned artist,” he said.

“We hope other artists will recognise this and decide to join us by entering Girra.”

Cr Lewis said he was hoping to see a diverse offering of works entered.

“To help artists put their best foot forward when entering the art prize, the Hervey Bay Regional Gallery will be holding an information session on Saturday, 6th May from 11am to 12pm,” he said.

“This session will provide tips and advice from HBRG staff, and is free, but registration is required.”

The finalists’ exhibition, held at the Hervey Bay Regional Gallery 23 September to 12 November 2023.

More information about the prize is available here

More information about the info session is available here

 

Girra: Fraser Coast National Art Prize draws its name from the Butchulla word for sand, a vital component of the region’s landscape. As a title, Girra is both emblematic of the Fraser Coast region and a conceptual provocation that encourages artists to consider how their practice relates to the natural environment.

Girra, or sand, forms our saltwater coasts, freshwater riverbeds, and dry desert interior, shaped over millennia by the tides and winds. Sand forms the foundation of our cities, mined and rendered into concrete or melted into glass. A ubiquitous presence in the Australian landscape, sand reveals the sensitive, cyclical, and reciprocal relationship between people and place.