Celebrating our emerging artists

Media Release 16 October 2020
EAA

Emerging artists are once again being celebrated through the City’s Emerging Artist Awards, which were held on Thursday 15 October at the South Perth Community Hall.

Celebrating its 18th year, the 2020 Emerging Artist Award is a vital part of the City’s cultural life and is open to all emerging artists who live in Western Australia.

This year the City received more than 115 entries, with 63 artworks chosen by judges Jane King, Erin Coates and Ron Bradfield Jnr for the exhibition, which is now open to the public until Saturday 24 October.

2020 Emerging Artist Award winners include:

Open Award (City of South Perth)

  • Winner: Marla Bishop, Emerge

City of South Perth Resident Award (John McGrath MLA)

  • Winner: Jorge Marino Brito, State of Mind: I Need a Barber!
  • Highly commended: Zhi Xin Gan, Untitled

Local Theme Award (Karalee on Preston)

  • Winner: Cindy Addison, Anthropo(s)cenic 2020 – South Perth Playground
  • Highly commended: Zainub Khan, Barriers and invisible connections

Youth Award (Preston Street IGA)

  • Winner: Georgia Appleby, Identity
  • Highly commended: Paris Wilkinson, Grandad Ted

Works on Paper (City of South Perth)

  • Winner: Rachel Hill, Recovery Warrior 01
  • Highly commended: Mitchell Page, PRIDE

3D Sculpture/Textiles Award (Liquor Barons on Angelo) 

  • Winner: Sam Hopkins, Leave No Trace
  • Highly commended: Clair Shenton, GloveBox

Aboriginal Artist Award (City of South Perth) 

  • No Aboriginal Artist Award is being awarded this year, no eligible entrants were selected as finalists

Painting Award (White Frame) 

  • Winner: Casey Thornton, Small Comforts
  • Highly commended: Luke Morgan, Isolation

The winner of the People’s Choice Award will be announced on Monday 2 November.

City of South Perth Mayor Greg Milner said a big congratulations to all of this year’s entrants and winners. The City has been working with emerging artists for many years and we are proud to nurture up and coming talent.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on artists and has limited their opportunities to show and sell their work at public exhibitions and the City is pleased to be able to support them through this event,” Mayor Milner said.

The 2020 Emerging Artist Award featured a prize pool of around $11,000, provided by the City of South Perth and our generous sponsors. The City is proud to provide prizes for the Open Award, Works on Paper Award and the Highly Commended winners.

The Emerging Artist Award Exhibition, curated by Artist/Director Ron Nyisztor will be open to the public until Saturday 24 October 2020 at the South Perth Community Hall. For more information visit our website.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Premium Sponsor

  • The Karalee on Preston - Local Theme Award
  • Preston Street IGA - Youth Award
  • Liquor Barons on Angelo - 3D Sculpture/Textiles Award
  • White Frame - Painting Award

Prize Sponsor

  • John McGrath MLA - City of South Perth Resident Award
  • Soco Realty - People's Choice Award

Contact us

For more information, please contact the City.