Sidney Myer Fund Australian Ceramic Award

Anne Wenzel `Hell Hounds' ceramic, metal

Shepparton Art Gallery is delighted to announce that the recipients of the 2010 Sidney Myer Fund Australian Ceramic Award Commissions are;

AUSTRALIAN CATEGORY: STEPHEN BENWELL
EMERGING AUSTRALIAN CATEGORY: PAUL WOOD
INTERNATIONAL CATEGORY: ANNE WENZEL

The calibre of submission overall, the technical expression and the considered statements provided by artists was commendable. The new format of the award presents a different challenge, requiring artists to conceive and present a whole exhibition rather than just one work. The Shepparton Art Gallery appreciates the considerable effort undertaken by artists through the process of application.

The judging panel comprised of the following people; Kim Dickey - Ceramic Artist, Associate Professor Department of Art and Art History, University of Colorado, Charlotte Day - Freelance Curator, Associate Curator Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, and Kirsten Paisley - Director Shepparton Art Gallery. There were a total of 212 entrants across the three categories and judging was an engaging and stimulating experience. The panel was unanimous on the short listing of the following people:

AUSTRALIAN: Gerry Wedd, Kirsten Coelho, Stephen Benwell
EMERGING: Amy Craig, Cyrus (Wai Kwang) Tang, Paul Wood
INTERNATIONAL: Anne Wenzel (Netherlands), Andrea Salvatori (Italy), Aino Nebel (Germany)

These artists each presented a number of well conceived and executed previous artworks, together with a new and exciting exhibition concept which was of exceptional aesthetic and conceptual calibre. Their exhibition proposals detailed projects which the judges all felt compelled to see and to see realised. We hope that you also enjoy these new works commissioned for the 2010 exhibition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW AWARD FORMAT

Entries for the new award, The Sidney Myer Fund Australian Ceramic Art Award, are now closed for both Australian and International ceramic artists.

With an expansion to $55,000 in prize monies, the new award confirms its place as the premier Australian/International acquisitive art award. With the hindsight of hosting ten international awards in its previous guise, the gallery has made a number of significant changes. These changes are intended to provide better career development opportunities for Australian ceramicists, more strategic collecting for the gallery, and a greater depth to the exhibition and associated publishing.

There will be three recipients of the award, each of whom will receive a significant stipend to produce a body of work for exhibition, on the understanding that the gallery will select one work for its collection. Costs associated with the exhibition will be borne by the gallery, including freight and the production of a fully illustrated catalogue. The gallery will also pay airfares and accommodation for recipient artists to attend the opening event and present at the associated seminar.

There will be six months between the announcement of award recipients and the delivery of works to the gallery.

Recipients will be selected under the following categories;

Australian Artist	AUD$25,000 (cash component)
International Artist	AUD$25,000 (cash component)
*Emerging Australian	AUD$5,000 (cash component)

Above represents the cash amount which artists will be awarded. However significant other expenses will also be covered. For the International artist these equal an additional $15k and the Australian categories, and additional $7.5k each. These expenses include airfares and accommodation to attend the exhibition opening event and seminar, a solo exhibition, freight and insurance of artwork, and a detailed catalogue with essay.

*Artists applying for the Emerging Australian category must have ceramics as their primary arts practise and have been producing less than ten years. All applications for the award are to be completed online.

Important Dates

Applications close	Friday 2 April 2010
Artists advised of selection	Monday 19 April 2010 (6 months to installation)
Delivery of artworks to gallery	Friday 23 October 2010
Exhibition Opening	Friday 3 December
Exhibition Dates	27 November 2010 to 22 January 2011
Seminar and workshops	Saturday 4 December to Sunday 5 December
Artworks despatched for return to artists	February 2011

History of the Award

The Sidney Myer Fund International Ceramic Art Award in association with La Trobe University was established by Shepparton Art Gallery in 1997 to provide an unprecedented opportunity for a major international ceramic award and exhibition in Australia. This biennale award developed from the Sidney Myer Fund Australia Day Ceramic Award, a national prize established in 1991. The award has offered Australian audiences the opportunity to view contemporary ceramic art from around the globe for ten years. The supporting seminar and master-class workshops with the International judge, provided a platform for cross-cultural learning and exchange.

The closing of the new format award exhibition, the Sidney Myer Fund Australian Ceramic Art Award in January 2011, will mark 20 years of award exhibitions funded in partnership between the Sidney Myer Fund and the Shepparton Art Gallery. If you would like to make a financial contribution to the continuation of the award or additional acquisitions please see our page on ‘Giving'.