Newcastle Emerging Art Prize
- intouch Magazine
- Mar 1, 2022
- 2 min read
The Newcastle Emerging Art Prize, with its proud 20-year history, is now known as the Hunter Emerging Art Prize. And it's more than just a new name. The prize broadened its scope in a few different ways with a total prize pool of $11,500.
Allowing entries from throughout the Hunter for many years – the offer has now been widened to include emerging artists living in the local government areas of Cessnock, Dungog, Lake Macquarie, Mid Coast, Maitland, Muswellbrook, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Singleton and Upper Hunter.
In partnership with long-time collaborators, Octapod, Newcastle Art Space are proud to embrace experimental art with the introduction of a new prize category for 2021 valued at $1000.
A new youth prize has also been added to complement the overall prize. This is a special prize made possible with support from the Squires family in recognition of the late Jody Robinson's outstanding contribution to young artists and art education in the Hunter.
Opening night for the 2021 Hunter Emerging Art Prize was postponed last year, so 2022's opening night will be extra special. There will be music, Tibetan food and gelato to be enjoyed on the Styx Riviera while the announcement of winners is eagerly anticipated. Everyone will then have the opportunity to go into the gallery to see the works installed.
There were over 200 applications for this year's prize, which was the highest number ever received. The judges compiled the finalist's list at the end of February and will return to the gallery once all of the artworks have been hung to choose the winners.
Additional support has been gratefully appreciated by the organisers, who have welcomed several new sponsors.
The exhibition will run until 6 March at Newcastle Art Space. For more information, visit www.newcastleartspace.org.au/hunteremerging
