With the art resurgence continuing in Tasmania, members of the community are being given the
opportunity to create their own piece of portraiture art with communal sketchbooks now in several
popular cafés across the state, as part of the RACT Insurance Tasmanian Portraiture Prize (TPP).
RACT Insurance CEO Trent Sayers said the sketchbooks were a great talking point and created a
different kind of coffee catch-up experience, which is typically dominated by people on electronic
devices checking emails and social media.
“The TPP asks entrants to produce a portrait of a Tasmanian who is important to them and this is
our way of getting the wider community involved to create their own little piece of art in-line with
the competition,” Mr Sayers said.
“We believe all people have an artistic side and this is a great way for them to try to express it –
they can just grab a pencil and start drawing.
“In the past, the sketchbooks have been very successful and each year we take great pleasure
looking through the work of those who have taken the time to draw in them, with many featuring
on our Facebook Page before the competition closes.”
The sketchbooks have been placed in several cafés in the north of the state, including Fresh and
Blue Café in Launceston as well as Mumma’s Lounge in Burnie.
RACT Insurance CEO Trent Sayers said he was excited for the 2014 TPP and especially looked
forward to seeing the unique entries young Tasmanians submitted.
“We are lucky enough to have renowned Australian portraiture artist Robert Hannaford, Curator of
the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery Jane Stewart and last year’s TPP winner Alex Davern as
judges this year, who will no doubt have a difficult task ahead of them,” he said.
“RACT Insurance is once again proud to support the young aspiring artists in Tasmania as well as
the state’s artistic revitalisation through the TPP and we are thrilled to have such a diverse judging
panel this year.
“The overall aim of the competition is to foster the development of young Tasmanian artists, giving
them the opportunity to launch their professional careers and place their work on public exhibition
for the whole community to appreciate.”
Mr Sayers said the winner of the RACT Insurance TPP received $5,000 and a trip for two to the
Archibald Prize exhibition in Sydney, while the runner-up received $2,000 to assist with studio rent.
“We will also have the Sponsor’s Choice Award and the coveted People’s Choice Award again this
year, each with a prize of $500 to assist in furthering the artist’s career,” he said.
Entries are now open for the 2014 RACT Insurance Tasmanian Portraiture Prize, closing on 30 June,
2014. This year the exhibition will feature in Hobart’s Long Gallery, Launceston’s Sawtooth Gallery
and the Burnie Regional Gallery. For more information, visit www.taspp.com.au.
RACT Insurance CEO Trent Sayers
