93 pieces on the National Capital Art Prize shortlist

Michael Beahan’s shortlisted work, “Our Future ACT”.

by Helen Musa

SEVEN Canberra artists have made it on to the “short” list of 93 finalists from more than 800 entries in this year’s National Capital Art Prize, coming up in September.

This year the national exhibition will return to its original home at Aarwun Gallery in Gold Creek, which now has expanded hanging facilities to incorporate the huge event.

The categories include an Open Prize, a First Nations Prize for indigenous artists and the Sustainability Prize, which allows artworks of any medium.

Leading the way was NSW with 40 finalists, followed by Victoria with 16, Queensland with nine, SA with nine, seven from the ACT, NT has six, WA five and one from Tasmania.

Robert Stephens, founder of the prize, says that four artists will share a cash prize pool of $47,500 this year and thanked sponsoring partner, Mineral Councils of Australia.

In a two-tiered adjudication process, finalists’ works will now make their way from every state and territory in Australia to Canberra for the final round of adjudication ahead of a four-week public exhibition, which opens on September 16.

Canberra artworks shortlisted are, in the First Nations category, Rechelle Turner’s “Gadhang – Ocean (Wiradyuri)”, in the open category, Nick Offer’s “Verge” and Alice Pulvers’ “Spheres”. In the Sustainability category, Michael Beahan’s “Our Future”, Lyn Davidson’s “Hope”, Mark Mortensen’s “A sustainable future” and Amanda Andlee Poland’s “Protect Our Native Forests”.

The $2500 online People’s Choice Award is now open for voting here  today, closing on September 11 and all finalist artworks will be displayed in a virtual gallery.

The 2023 National Capital Art Prize category winners will be announced on September 14 and the public exhibition will take place at Aarwun Gallery in Gold Creek, from September 16.

First published at Canberra City News online, July 27, 2023