Art prize seeks bold voices

ENTRIES have opened for Hue and Cry Collective’s annual art prize, with more than $7,000 in prizes up for grabs.

Now in its second year, the art prize is open to both professional and amateur artists across all artistic mediums, ranging from painting and illustration, to sculpture and photography.

All submitted pieces, however, must not exceed 80cm x 80cm in any orientation.

Corey Notaristefano, who owns Hue and Cry with his wife Harriet, said the gallery was excited to continue growing the art prize and encouraged everyone to considering entering.

“We’re looking for artists that show a great deal of technical skill, that are pushing the boundaries of their chosen medium, that have aesthetic appeal and also that convey a story [or concise concept],” he said.

“Artists need to, at least, excel in one of those areas to be considered for the major prize.”

This year’s major prize will earn its winner $5,000 dollars, while the additional prizes available include a three-week exhibition at Hue and Cry, valued at $1,000, for the winner of the People’s Choice Award and a framing package provided by Artisan Framers in Drysdale.

Mr Notaristefano said there were several benefits to entering the art prize such as getting artwork seen by curators from major galleries and receiving feedback on that work.

“[For] lots of artists that enter, potentially it’s the first prize that they’ve entered, or it’s their first exhibition, so we always endeavour to show all the works that enter.

“Whoever applies, as long as they fit within our size requirements, will be exhibited which I think is really important.

“Especially for our local Geelong, Surf Coast and Bellarine artists, they get a chance to be part of an exhibition and to be seen by potentially hundreds of potential customers.”

He explained the goal to exhibit all art prize entrants was the reason submissions had to be kept “a little bit smaller” than is typical of some of the other major art prizes.

“Some art prizes, they will do a shortlist and they’ll only exhibit the shortlist, but for us, if people are paying money to enter an art prize, we feel it’s appropriate that they would then be exhibited as well.”

This year’s exhibition will run from August 31 – September 21, with winners to be announced at approximately 8pm on the show’s opening night.

The People’s Choice Award will then be announced on the final day of the exhibition, giving visitors plenty of time to cast their votes.

The art prize will again be judged by a panel of experts, including Geelong Gallery’s lead curator Lisa Sullivan in “a major win” for Hue and Cry.

While Mr Notaristefano was unable to reveal the remaining judges, he was able to confirm the gallery was in talks with both a major Geelong-based artist and the curator of another regional gallery to fill out the panel.

“[These are] huge developments for us as far as the calibre of people that will be judging the works and that artists will have their work seen by,” he said.

Entries to Hue and Cry Collective’s Art Prize will close on July 18.

For more information, or to enter, head to hueandcry.com.au