Ellen José Art Award for young women

Hear from the finalists of the 2025 Ellen José Art Award for young women 🎨

This year marks the second iteration of the Ellen José Art Award for young women at Bayside Gallery. Held in honour of pioneering Indigenous artist and activist Ellen José, the Award is designed to support young female artists in the early stages of their career.

The finalist exhibition showcases ambitious and ground-breaking new work by finalists MeiMei Hodgkinson, Casey Jeffery, Jenna Lee, Amalia Lindo, Jacqui Shelton, and award winner Clare Jaque Vasquez.

Selected from a national field of over 350 applicants, these artists are addressing the urgent issues of our times in ways that combine the personal with the political, and the historical with the present. Hear from the artists, as they discuss their art practice, the exhibition, and what the Award means to them.

The Ellen José Art Award for young women is on display at Bayside Gallery until Sunday 14 December.

Take a look behind the scenes of this year’s Upstanders program 🤩

The Upstanders program, now in its 13th year, is an anti-bullying initiative that promotes being an upstander not a bystander. It invites young people to upskill their knowledge on social and emotional learning and exercise their creative talents in spreading positive community messages.

This year, 2025 Billilla Studio Artist and Bayside local Cassy Polimeni led 120 Grade 5 students from a network of five schools across Bayside to help them prepare their own stories for a published anthology.

United by a common theme “Words are like Muscles: Use them to lift”, the students’ stories are aimed at inspiring their fellow students and our community to speak up, find their voice, and support each other in the fight against bullying.

Upcycle Fabulous – Fast Fashun Runway 🧵

Earlier this month, Brighton Town Hall was transformed into a sustainable runway by Fast Fashun Art Collective and the Bayside community.

The event celebrated the power of upcycling, with attendees given the opportunity to design and assemble their own unique looks from pre-loved materials, showcasing just how stylish sustainability can be.

The runway also featured outfits crafted in collaborative workshops held in the lead-up to the big day. The Bayside community came together to rethink wardrobe waste, giving discarded garments a second life in the form of bold, innovative designs.

This inspiring event not only highlighted the importance of reducing fashion waste but also demonstrated the talent and imagination thriving in our local area. Congratulations to everyone involved for championing a more sustainable and stylish future for Bayside.

Apply for the 2026 Bayside Painting Prize 🎨

We’re seeking applications for the 2026 Bayside Painting Prize.

The Bayside Painting Prize is nationally recognised as Melbourne’s premier painting prize. Bringing together both established and lesser known artists from across Australia, the finalist exhibition showcases the breadth and diversity of painting in Australia today.

Featuring a non-acquisitive Major Prize of $25,000, a $10,000 Beckett Local Prize (acquisitive), and a $1,000 People’s Choice Award.

Applications close: 5pm, Friday 20 February 2026 AEDT.

Win $100 by taking our communications survey ℹ️

We’re seeking community feedback about how you like to receive and interact with Council information, how you like to stay informed, and the effectiveness of our communications channels.

Go in the running to win one of five $100 vouchers by participating in this simple and quick survey.

Consultation closes 30 November.

Image/art credits in order of appearance:
1. 2025 Ellen José Art Award for young women, Bayside Gallery.
2. Artist Evie Cahir in studio. Photo: Yaseera Moosa.
3. 2025 Upstanders program.
4. Photos from the Upcycle Fabulous with Fast Fashun – Runway event at Brighton Town Hall.