LOCAL LIFE
Finalists and exhibition announced for
2024 Blacktown City Art Prize
The Blacktown City Art Prize exhibition returns to kick off 2024 at The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre with vibrancy , excitement and the community of Blacktown at its heart .
For the first time , Blacktown City is embedded from the outset , with special consideration given to artworks that celebrate , express and reflect upon the diverse history , environment and First Nations stories of the region .
Eighty-three finalists have been chosen from western Sydney and across Australia . Finalists are in the running to win the
The overall prize winner in 2022 / 2023 was Peter Rush for his artwork Sightlines , The Blacktown Native Institution site . Standing here , it ’ s placeless , I felt erasure , ignorance ( my own ), indifference .
Blacktown City Art Prize Main Prize , First Nations Artist Prize , Local Artist Prize , Early-Career Artist Prize , and the People ’ s Choice Prize .
The independent judging panel were impressed with the standard of this year ’ s entries , and commented that the selected finalists are a small window into exciting contemporary artmaking across Sydney .
They said the finalists ’ works are a celebration of personal expression of what it means to connect and relate to one another through a diverse range of mediums and bright , bold colours .
Blacktown Arts received a total of 381 entries from across Australia . The Mayor of Blacktown , Tony Bleasdale OAM said :
“ This prestigious yearly prize showcases the creativity of Blacktown , western Sydney and beyond , and provides local artists with the opportunity to exhibit alongside artists from across Australia .
“ I congratulate all artists who have been selected as finalists and
Lauren Johnson , The Great Barrier Reef , 2022 . Photography : silversalt photography .
I look forward to being inspired by their works .
“ I am proud of the commitment by Blacktown Arts in providing artists the opportunity to share , develop and enrich their practice in what is regarded as the leading regional art prize in Australia ,” Mayor Bleasdale said .
All artworks in the exhibition will be available for purchase at The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre .
Make sure to catch the exhibition this summer and vote for your favourite artwork in the People ’ s Choice Prize . The winner will be announced in the final week of the exhibition . Please note that voting for the People ’ s Choice Prize will be available in-person only .
Awards for the Main Prize , First Nations Artist Prize , Local Artist Prize , and Early-
Career Artist prize will be announced at the prize-giving ceremony on 17 January 2024 .
The 2024 Blacktown City Art Prize offers a total prize pool of $ 22,500 and acquisitions across five categories . Prizes include
• Main Prize ( acquisitive ): $ 15,000
• First Nations Artist Prize : $ 2,000
• Local Artist Prize : $ 2,000
• Early-Career Artist Prize ( acquisitive ): $ 2,500
• People ’ s Choice Prize : $ 1,000
Key dates
• Exhibition : 16 January to 5 April 2024
• Awards ceremony : 17 January 2024
For the list of finalists and further information , visit blacktownarts . com . au / bcap .
BLACKTOWN CITY INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine . com . au MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS ! ISSUE 33 // NOVEMBER 2023 9