Art Awards
City of Belmont Art Awards
The Art Awards provide a special opportunity for our community to connect and engage with the Arts, and celebrate the City of Belmont as a place of creativity and culture.
Each year the City invites artists across the state to submit their artwork, welcoming a variety of artistic mediums and styles including drawings, paintings, photography, textiles, sculptures and ceramics. The Awards are held in The Glasshouse and are open to artists of all ages, featuring a diverse mix of youth, emerging talent and established art professionals.
Held over two weeks, the Awards showcase the talent in our local community and broader arts sector, while supporting artists to create new works that ignite the imagination, tell our unique stories, and foster connections.
The event aspires to be innovative, creative, and progressive. Art is a great connector, helping us understand different perspectives and build bridges, while contributing to the health, wellbeing, and general life satisfaction of our residents.
Sponsorship Opportunity
The City is now seeking sponsorship contributions for the Art Awards and invites you to place your business at the heart of the arts in Belmont.
Download the 2024 Belmont Art Awards Sponsorship Prospectus.
Thanks to the 2024 Belmont Art Award sponsors:
2024 Art Awards
Key Dates
- 19 April to 18 May - Professional Development Workshop Series
- 1 May, 9am - Entries open. Please read the 2024 Art Awards Terms and Conditions before submitting your entry.
- 12 June, 4pm - Entries close
- July - Successful applicants notified
- 22 to 25 August - Artwork drop-off period
- 30 August, 6pm - Opening and Awards Night
- 31 August, 1-3pm - Youth Awards Event
- 31 August to 14 September - Exhibition Period
- 15 to 17 September - Artwork pick-up period
Professional Development Workshop Series
Kick start your creative journey or grow your professional skills across the Art Awards Professional Development Workshop Series devlivered with support from Artsource.
The series includes five engaging workshops held between Friday 19 April and Saturday 18 May:
Register for one or more of the Art Awards Workshop Series via Eventbrite.
Friday 19 April | 10:30am to 12:30pm
Clarify your strategy and content planning for social media. We’ll use simple prompts to form the backbone of your core marketing messaging and create a series of unique touch points for all of your future communications.
Register for tickets via Eventbrite.
About Bo
Bo Wong s a photographer working across the visual arts, culture and design industries. Bo supports creatives to clarify and expand their communication skills in an increasingly digital environment with photography services, professional development workshops and immersive multi-day retreats.
Saturday 27 April | 10:30am to 12:30pm
This inspirational workshop is led by Sandra Murray, an independent art curator, consultant and artist mentor. Sandra will be guiding artists on how to exhibit their work in galleries and to look outside the traditional white cube, there are other spaces!
Join her discussion on developing exhibition proposals; different ways of exhibiting; how to source funds; and tips for approaching galleries. This workshop is ideal for new, emerging and mid-career artists, elevate your art career now!
Register for tickets via Eventbrite.
About Sandra
Sandra has a depth of experience in working with artists, collections and exhibitions, including directing and curating for art and museum institutions in WA and NSW. She has worked in the public, corporate, NFP and private sectors. She is actively engaged in the art world, has a longstanding rapport with artists and respectful working relationships with arts industry professionals. She has on-the-ground experience and knowledge to share. Her clients include the Royal Agricultural Society of WA, Bankwest and various councils. Sandra has project managed and curated over 65 art and museum exhibitions. She holds a passion for contemporary West Australian art and is the Artistic Director/Lead Curator for Sculpture at Bathers. She curated the 2022 Perth Royal Art Prize for Landscape, the 2023 City of Rockingham Art Prize and has been reappointed for 2024. She holds a BA Honours in Art History and Theory, and a Master of Philosophy.
Saturday 4 May | 10:30am to 12:30pm
With over 30 years experience as an artist and writer Mikaela Castledine will share a step by step guide on how to write a readable, informative and accessible artist statement.
This workshop will touch on why Artists statements are important, what needs to be in and what left out and how to find the right words - including harnessing the power of AI when you need a hand.
Participants are encouraged to bring, or send through via email (mikaela@castledine.com.au), a photo of a piece they would like to write about and a draft artist statement if they have one. During the workshop Mikaela will pick a few volunteers from the audience to discuss their work and draft statement.
Register for tickets via Eventbrite.
About Mikaela
Mikaela Castledine is an award-winning artist and published writer, with a BSc in Applied Science and an MA in Writing and Literature. She is best known for her crochet sculptures exploring our connections to animals, religious architecture across cultures and family storytelling. In her career Mikaela has won many art awards including the Sculpture by the Sea Scholarship, the Sculpture Inside Award and shared the People’s Choice at Sculpture by the Sea in Cottesloe.
Saturday 11 May | 10:30am to 12:30pm
Join professional collection photographer Robert Frith for this two-hour workshop exploring how to document your artwork as accurately and consistently as possible with the resources you have available.
Participants are encouraged to bring their cameras (including smart phones) and one artwork to practice throughout the session. This workshop is all about giving artists the basics to document their artworks using readily available and inexpensive tools and techniques.
Register for tickets via Eventbrite.
About Robert
Robert Frith has been documenting artworks since late last century. He has worked for every major collection in Perth. He is Collection Photographer at the Kerry Stokes Collection as well as running his own practice.
Saturday 18 May | 10:30am to 12:30pm
Join JC, visual artist, set builder, props maker and general arts-related construction wizard for this hands-on carpentry demonstration. JC will demonstrate how to build a stretcher frame and stretch two different sizes of canvas. Participants will have the opportunity to volunteer for a variety of hands-on tasks throughout the session. Power tool safety protocols will be taught and implemented. This workshop aims to encourage artists to learn practical skills which provide autonomy and are cost-saving.
This is a carpentry demonstration designed specifically for beginners, with no previous experience with tools or in workshops. It provides an inclusive and supportive environment for learning. Women and women-identifying folx are welcomed.
What to wear: long pants and sturdy closed shoes. We provide safety glasses and ear protection.
Register for tickets via Eventbrite.
About Women on the Tools
Women on the Tools is the passion project of JC, an artist who trained at the WA Academy of Performing Arts as a set builder and props maker. They have spent more than twenty five years working in workshops (their own and other peoples), building things, solving problems and teaching skills to all sorts of people.
They noticed that women often had little experience of handing tools and doing the basics, but were keen to learn. After observing how other folks taught skills (especially the ‘heavy’ skills of carpentry and welding), they developed a strategy for teaching that was about making tools and processes accessible and inclusive.
Their workshop is equipped with tools, machinery and safety gear that fit women’s bodies, as well as men’s. They never assume prior knowledge: all introductory courses start with the principle that you’ve never picked up a tool in your life, let alone been shown how to use it. The courses support hands on, step by step, small group learning, with concrete outcomes, that build confidence as well as skills.
After years of formally (at TAFE and University) and informally (on the job) practicing this way of teaching, JC decided it was time to set up a dedicated space where folks could come to learn great skills from the ground up, have access to tools and call on an expert for support and guidance.
Below: 2023 City of Belmont Art Awards Exhibition held in The Glasshouse.
Awards
All entries are reviewed by a Selection Panel, where up to 300 works are selected to participate in the Awards. This includes a selection of artworks by youth and emerging artists, local Belmont artists as well as experienced and professional artists.
The Awards include six categories, plus Highly Commended Awards and the self-nominated Mentorship Prize.
The participating artworks are then carefully considered by independant judges to determine the winners
- City of Belmont Overall Acquisitive Award: $10,000 prize
- City of Belmont Resident Award: $1000 prize
- Emerging Artist, 18-25 years: $500 prize
- Youth Award, 11-17 years: $500 prize
- Popular Choice Award: $500 prize
- City of Belmont 125th Anniversary Prize: $500 prize
Functions
The Art Awards Opening Night Awards Announcement Event will be held 6pm Friday 30 August with invitations sent to key stakeholders in August, and tickets open to purchase by the public via Eventbrite.
The Exhibition
Held in The Glasshouse, the free two-week exhibition provides an opportunity for the community to explore the artworks, engage with the community, and purchase a work of art of their own.
The Art Awards attract the interest of a broad cross section of the community including WA Artists, local residents, youth and arts patrons.
Public Programs
The Art Award Public Programs deliver a range of educational, informative and fun sessions leading up to and during the exhibition.
Workshops and Accessibility Tours have been designed to provide professional development opportunities for emerging artists, and to encourage greater appreciation of the works on display.
Information regarding Accessibility Tours and Making Workshops will be available in August.
Information regarding the 2024 Art Award Professional Education Program is available here.
Below: Art Awards participant Erica Zaino introducing her artwork 'I : endlessness' with Paul Rowe at the 2023 Collector's Night
Mentorship Award
The Mentorship Award sees an established, WA based professional artist provide mentorship to the Mentorship Award winner.
The Mentorship Award is designed to aid the creative, educational, and professional development of the award winner through feedback, advice and assistance from the Mentor.
Via the Art Awards application form, applicants can nominate themselves for consideration for the Mentorship Award.
Learn more about the Mentorship Award
Below: 2023 Mentorship Award winner Sonali Fernando with mentor, professional West Australian Artist Jo Darbyshire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. All artworks must have been created in the last year and not previously exhibited.
2D artworks are a maximum size of 100cm x 100cm and 3D artworks are max 50x50x 50cm
All artworks are for sale and the City of Belmont charges a 25% commission on the sale of all artworks. It is optional for artists aged 11 to 17 to have their work for sale.
No. The City is limiting the number of entries into the award and all entries will be reviewed by a Selection Panel with artists being advised if they have been accepted into the award.
The City of Belmont Art Award aims to provide artists of all abilities and experience the opportunity to participate in a community exhibition that celebrates the creative talents of local and WA artists.
The City does not charge an entry fee to participate in the Award, and in order to manage the logistics of exhibiting the Award it implements a selection process to refine applications to a maximum of 300 artists to be accepted into the award.
Whilst there is no curatorial theme, the selection process aims to include a selection of artworks by youth and emerging artists, local Belmont artists as well as experienced and professional artists.
The award is judged by two independent arts professionals who are experts in the field.
The first prize is a $10,000 acquisitive award, with the winning work coming into the City of Belmont Civic Art Collection. The remaining prizes are non-acquisitive and will be available for sale throughout the exhibition.
For more information on the Art Awards, please contact artsandplace@belmont.wa.gov.au or phone our Arts and Place team on 9477 7248.