125 artists from across Victoria will be vying for the annual Koorie Art Show Awards.
The exhibition opening, Award presentation and celebrations will be online this year, on Saturday 5 December at 2pm.
Through a statewide call for entries, The Koorie Art Show is the only exhibition in Victoria dedicated to showcasing the work of Koorie and Victorian based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.
This is a non-acquisitive Award exhibition with a total prize pool of $32,000.
The Awards have attracted a diverse and strong field of established mid-career and emerging artists with works that reflect an extraordinary array of contemporary and traditional styles and mediums, including painting, photography, sculpture, fibre and digital mixed media works.
The Koorie Art Show continues KHTs role of incubating, nurturing and promoting Victorian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and artists.
‘During a very difficult year that has disrupted so many people’s lives, it is so wonderful that our community has come together to support The Koorie Art Show. 125 artists have entered and I’m delighted we will be able to celebrate their artistic practice. The Awards continue to grow in importance giving finalists a national springboard for their work,’ says Tom Mosby, CEO, KHT.
All entries are eligible for: Creative Victoria Award for Excellence in Any Media $10,000; Metro Tunnel Creative Program 2D Award $5,000; Viva Energy Australia 3D Award $5,000; Emerging Artist Award $5,000; Reconciliation Award $5,000; Koorie Heritage Trust Encouragement Awards ($500 x 2); and the Koorie Heritage Trust People’s Choice Award $1,000 (announced at the close of the exhibition).
The judging panel for The 8th Koorie Art Show 2019 are: Stacie Piper (Wurundjeri, Djadjawurrung and Ngurai Illum-Wurrung) current Chairperson of the Victorian NAIDOC Committee, First Nations Curator at TarraWarra Museum of Art in Healesville and Djirri Djirri dancer; Elder, Uncle Larry Walsh (Taungurung) renowned storyteller and Maxine Briggs (Taungwurrung and Yorta Yorta), Indigenous Research Centre, State Library of Victoria.
All works are available for sale to the public.
The Koorie Heritage Trust gratefully acknowledge the generous support of its Award partners: Creative Victoria, Metro Tunnel Creative Program, Viva Energy Australia and Federation Square.
The 8th Koorie Art Show opens online on Saturday 5 December 2020. It runs Sunday 21 February 2021 at the Koorie Heritage Trust, Yarra Building, Federation Square. Free entry www.koorieheritagetrust.com.au
