Prize money of $3,500 is on offer for Tasmanian women artists in this year’s Material Girl award and exhibition. With the theme of “Speak to Me!” as inspiration, we are anticipating an exciting pool of entries in this annual event.
In 2011, the competition attracted a strong field of entries with the major prize, the Rio Tinto Alcan award for Overall Excellence, awarded to Maureen King for her work ‘The Printmaker’. Maureen currently has an exhibition ‘Undercurrent’ in the Little Gallery at Devonport Regional Gallery
Sponsorship by Bell Bay Aluminium, Zonta International and the Premier’s Department has provided the funds for awards which will be allocated to prizes for overall excellence and emerging artist as well as a people’s choice award.
This year, Tasmanian Regional Arts has secured a major new sponsor – The Bendigo Bank. In addition, the exhibition has been recognized by the Australian Business and Arts Foundation under the Premiers Arts Partnership Fund. This additional financial assistance will allow TRA to lift the profile of this competition and touring show that focusses on the creative contributions of Tasmania’s women artists.
Zonta International is a world wide organisation of executives in business and the professions working together to advance the status of women through service and advocacy. Material Girl is a high priority and has been consistently supported by Zonta for many years as a way of acknowledging excellence in women’s art.
Judges for this year’s event are Bryony Nainby, Senior Curator of Contemporary Art at TMAG, Lou Clarke from Bell Bay Aluminium and Carol Fuller from Zonta. Artist Elizabeth Barsham also joins the judging panel after the launch of her solo show at the Red Chapel Gallery in Sandy Bay on 13 April.
The exhibition will be held at the Moonah Arts Centre, to be opened by the Premier, Lara Giddings on Friday 11 May 2012. Selected works will then tour the state until March 2013 through the Tasmanian Regional Arts touring program hosted by local arts council branches across the state.
Entries close on Tuesday 1 May 2012 with a non-refundable participation fee of $15 per entry. Further information and entry form can be found on the Tasmanian Regional Arts website: www.tasregionalarts.org.au or by contacting the TRA office on 6426 2344.
Tasmanian Regional Arts
