Emerging Artist Award
The Emerging Artist Award is an annual program providing a unique opportunity for young (from secondary school age up until 25 years) and older emerging (at the beginning of their professional creative careers) artists to exhibit their work in a public exhibition and to compete with peers for prizes.
The Emerging Artist Award is a selected exhibition – a panel of independent arts industry professionals select artists to be invited by the City to exhibit their artwork and compete for several awards.
Take a virtual tour of the 2023 Emerging Artist Exhibition.
News Listings
Ningaloo Turtle the people's choice
Salter Point local Amber Bennison has taken out the SOCO Realty People's Choice Award at this year's Emerging Artist Award.
Emerging artists on show
Local and emerging artists were on show at the City's annual Emerging Artist Awards presentation night. Zali Morgan, was the recipient of the major $5,000 prize for her seven colour reduction linocut, Birthing Site.
2023 Award Categories
City of South Perth - Open Award ($5,000)
All artworks in the exhibition are considered for this award and it will be awarded to the most outstanding artwork.
Winner: Zali Morgan, Birthing Site
The Karalee on Preston - Local Theme Award ($1,000)
Any artwork depicting, in title or content, the City of South Perth’s natural or built environment, lifestyle, personalities and landmarks can be nominated for this award.
Winner: Olive Cheng, Walk to the Rosemount from South Perth
Highly commended: Jazmin Mckechnie, Resonance in Frames
Geoff Baker MLA - City of South Perth Resident Award ($1,000)
Artists living in the City of South Perth (South Perth, Kensington, Como, Manning, Salter Point, Karawara and Waterford) are eligible for this award.
Winner: Georgie Moss, Bursting at the Seams
Highly commended: Jodie Smith, Erosion
Preston Street IGA - Secondary School Artist Award ($1,000)
The Secondary School Artist Award is only open to students who are of secondary school age on 4 September 2023.
Winner: Taj Garmony, 365
Highly commended: Shanae Maher, Crushed
City of South Perth - Young Artist Award ($1,000)
The Young Artist Award is open to artists who are aged between 18 and 25 years on 4 September 2023.
Winner: Loren Retta, A World Away
Highly commended: CCF- CClean Freak, A Son's Duty
City of South Perth - Works on Paper Award ($1,000)
Works on paper including prints, photography, drawings, collage and two-dimensional mixed-media works on paper may be nominated for this award.
Winner: Janice Oliver, Reli(e)ving the Ruins of my Life
Highly commended: Vidhyaasagar Vijayakumar, Resurrection of the Dying Tradition
White Frame - Painting Award ($1,000)
Painted works in oils, acrylics, watercolour, pastels and two-dimensional mixed media works on canvas or board may nominate for this award.
Winner: Leah Pirone (LAH), 7pm
Highly commended: Jiali Jiang, Fragments of Memories about the Commodity - Heineken Beer
Liquor Barons on Angelo - Sculpture/Textiles Award ($1,000)
All three-dimensional works and creative textile-based works may be nominated for this award.
Winner: Zoe Edwards, Protector Creature
Highly commended: Felicity Bodycoat, Ellipse Series 2
John Curtin Gallery - First Nations Artist Award ($1,000)
Works entered by artists identifying as First Nations Australians are eligible for this award.
Winner: Taylor Gollan, Landing Zone (Coloured)
Highly commended: Anthea Corbett, Dreamtime
Soco Realty - People’s Choice Award ($750)
All artworks in the exhibition will be considered for this award. The People’s Choice Award will be presented to the artwork that receives the most public votes during the exhibition.
The People’s Choice winning artwork will be reproduced in large scale and pasted up in the undercroft carpark at Coles Supermarkets at Angelo Street, alongside previous winners.
Winner: Amber Bennison, Ningaloo Turtle
2023 Judges
Gary Dufour
Gary Dufour is an art historian based in Mount Claremont and Adjunct Assoc. Professor, School of Design, University of Western Australia. Dufour is a specialist in international modern and contemporary art, and a recognised authority on artists such as Jeff Wall, Guido Molinari, Howard Taylor, and Max Pam. He is an approved valuer on post-1940 Australian and International Art by the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program register.
Ron Bradfield Jr
Ron Bradfield Jr is a saltwater man from Bardi Country in Broome who grew up in Nhanda Country, Geraldton and now lives in Whadjuk Boodjar (Perth). Having worked across the arts in regional and metropolitan Western Australia for over 15 years as an artist, storyteller and facilitator, Ron curates cultural conversations across all levels of our communities. Currently Ron is the CYO (Chief Yarning Officer) of Yarns R Us and the Community Engagement Coordinator- Carrolup Centre for Truth-telling, (John Curtin Gallery ) Curtin University.
Ross Potter
Ross Potter is a Kamilaroi man living and working full time as an Artist on Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar, Walyalup/Fremantle. He works with graphite and paper to produce highly detailed, often large-scale representations of his subjects. One of his well-known works is the life-size sketch of Perth Zoo’s elephant Tricia for Fremantle Arts Centre’s Animaze: Amazing Animals for Kids Exhibition. Ross has won many art awards, most notably a finalist in The Lester Prize (BSPP) in 2015 and 2017 and winner of the Leonora Art Prize in 2019.
Curator
Ron Nyisztor
Ron Nyisztor was born in Fremantle and gained his Bachelor of Arts in Design at the WA Institute of Technology (now Curtin University) in 1979. An important contributor to the Western Australian art scene, Ron set up and runs Nyisztor Studio, an independent artist run space in Melville. Ron is a successful and widely collected and exhibited visual artist and has held many curatorial positions at leading galleries and institutions throughout his career.
Sponsors
The City recognises the support of all 2023 Emerging Artist Award Premium and Prize sponsors who have helped to support the growth and development of emerging artists in the City of South Perth. If you are a local business or organisation wanting to support the City's Emerging Artist Award, contact us to discuss your sponsorship opportunities.
Premium Sponsor
Prize Sponsors
Photos
Photos of Emerging Artist Award winners were published on the City's Flickr Gallery.
To request a copy of any of the award photos, please contact the City's events team on 9474 0777 or email events@southperth.wa.gov.au.