Community competition set to open for 2024 calendar

SUBMISSIONS will soon be open for local artists to have their works showcased in next year’s community calendar.

In a bid to encourage more local artists to get their works out into the public eye, the Surf Coast Shire has split one of the categories into two for this year’s Community Calendar Competition.

Entries previously considered for “child and youth” will now be separate “child” and “youth” categories.

Cr Rose Hodge said the updated eligibility criteria was a welcome change, to ensure optimal accessibility to the program and highlighting a diverse range of artists.

“All eligible entries in the competition are displayed at a community exhibition at Anglesea Art Housed.

“Last year’s exhibition received an extraordinary response, so much so, the curators almost ran out of wall space.

“We hope the revised criteria will open up more opportunities for artists, make for a wonderful exhibition, and showcase the winning pieces in the calendar in the best possible way.”

As part of the criteria changes, artists who have appeared in the calendar in the past two years are not eligible to enter, and artwork submitted is to not be larger than 600mm x 600mm.

All Surf Coast Shire residents and ratepayers are invited to take part in the competition.

All eligible entries will be on display at the Community Calendar Exhibition, launched at Anglesea Art Space on October 13 at 6pm.

The exhibition’s opening weekend is October 14-15.

The exhibition will further run through October from Tuesday to Sunday each week.

A judging panel will select the 12 favourite works across the four categories, child, youth, open 2D and open 3D.

Each of the 13 winning artists will then receive a $300 cash prize and acknowledgment on the calendar.

The cover design will be decided by a “people’s choice” vote.

“I encourage eligible local artists to enter the competition,” Cr Hodge said.

“It offers fantastic exposure for all entrants, who get a thrill out of being featured in an exhibition. It’s an even bigger thrill for the winners, to see their work in a publication that is distributed far and wide.

“I look forward to seeing which 13 works are selected to appear in the 2024 calendar.”

Entries open Friday, August 18, and close Friday, September 15 at 5pm.

To view the full terms and conditions and to enter, head to surfcoast.vic.gov.au/calendarcomp