Quality field for time honoured art prize

Adelaide artist secures top prize in the 2023 Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival official opening

It has been the traditional opening to the Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival for years and again the unveiling of the winners of the John Shaw Neilson Acquisitive Art Prize was hosted at Penola High School as the highly anticipated exhibition was unveiled.

As always the competition attracted a wide range of entries from within this region and beyond as artists work in a two dimensional medium, centring their work on the words of the celebrated poet. Adelaide-based art writer, educator, curator and artist John Neylon took out the top prize for his work Stony Town Stare Down.

The John Shaw Neilson Acquisitive Art Prize was created 30 years ago and has been growing in reputation every year.

The major prize of $12,000 is again generously sponsored by The Balnaves Foundation. As in past years, the Lois Hodge Local Art Prize is open to artists residing within the Limestone Coast region and is valued at $1000.

This prize is sponsored by well known local artist, Lois Hodge. Quality field for time honoured art prize The long-standing relationship with the Art Gallery of South Australia has also been maintained and organisers were fortunate to have Ashlyn-Jade Schwenke judge this year’s art prizes.

Ashlyn is the Philanthropy and Contemporary Collectors Coordinator for the Art Gallery of South Australia and was very enthusiastic about the high quality of entries for the John Shaw Neilson Acquisitive Art Prize, the Local Art Prize and the Design Prize.