Awards open to emerging visual artists

Education Minister Kate Jones today called on Queensland’s budding artists to enter the state’s leading arts awards for secondary students.

The Minister opened nominations for the Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art 2015 while also launching an exhibition of last year’s award winning artwork in Brisbane.

Ms Jones said the awards were open to all senior visual art students in state and non-state schools.

“Now in their 25^th year, the awards help raise community awareness of the high standard of visual art education in our secondary schools,” Ms Jones said.

“The awards also showcase the degree of sophistication in concepts, diversity and technical competence of the art produced by Year 11 and 12 students.”

Ms Jones said entrants were invited to submit images of their artwork via a secure website along with a supporting artist statement.

“A selection panel of visual art teachers will shortlist up to 150 works and will select students to work with professional artists in a series of regional workshops,” she said.

“Up to 40 students will be selected to receive Excellence Awards and seven students will receive Regional Encouragement Awards.”

Regional exhibitions of selected artworks will be held from August to September and artworks that receive Excellence Awards will be displayed in next year’s central exhibition at the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA).

Launching the 2015 Central Exhibition, Ms Jones said the 33 winning entries from last year’s awards represented a lot of hard work and creative self-expression by the student artists.

“The awards and exhibitions enable up-and-coming artists and members of the public to appreciate the artistic efforts of winning students,” she said.

“Last year more than 5,800 people visited the central exhibition.”

QAGOMA Director Chris Saines said the exhibition was a celebration of the next generation of creative thinkers.

“It’s an important part of our commitment to education, and we’re honoured to profile some of the best work created by talented secondary visual art students from right across the state,” Mr Saines said.

“Successful artist Jemima Wyman is a prime example of how this program can stimulate a career.

“She was featured in the Awards in 1994, she is now based in Los Angeles, and her Pattern Bandits interactive art project, developed in collaboration with QAGOMA’s Children’s Art Centre, is touring to regional and remote Queensland throughout April.

“Regardless of whether students pursue it as a career, a grounding in the arts is valuable in nurturing creativity, cultural understanding and innovative thinking.”

Mountain Creek State High School Head of Creative Industries, Jessica Stansbie, said the event was a key stepping stone for students seeking a career in visual arts.

Ms Stansbie – whose visual arts student, Isabella Summerfield, was awarded an excellence award last year – said the awards were a fantastic opportunity for students to showcase their work in a professional gallery setting.

“The artwork submitted is exciting and not at all out of place on the big white walls of a gallery,” she said.

“The students who nominate for awards are the next generation of emerging artists and the level of creativity displayed across the work is truly excellent. Some amazing things happen within art classrooms around the state and these awards allow us to get a sneak peek at some of that brilliance.”

The sponsor for this year’s awards is Art Shed Brisbane / School Art Supplies

Nominations must be submitted by Wednesday 22 July 2015. Details can be found at

http://education.qld.gov.au/artawards

Media contact: Emma Smith (Minister Jones’ Office) 0417 405 879