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Annual Art Awards – Springsure

The awards

The Central Highlands Regional Council Annual Art Awards – Springsure is the Bauhinia Bicentennial Art Gallery’s premier art event. It attracts local, regional and national artists and is held annually in March.

Established and emerging artists of all ages can submit entries in up to seven categories. From easel, paper-based and three-dimensional works to photography and black and white art, each adult category comes with a $600 prize for first and $150 prize for second place.

Young Artists of the Central Highlands are encouraged to enter into the youth sections of the competition. There are two categories: Youth (13-18 years) and Juvenile (12 years and under) with a first prize of $150 and second prize of $50 awarded to winners of each category.

Each year, a judge(s) awards an artist the prestigious Central Highlands Regional Council Acquisitive Award worth $2000 to the most outstanding work from categories one to five.

In style of an evening at the gallery, the awards night and exhibition opening has become a popular event in the Central Highlands social calendar. Artists and guests mingle over wine and platters, while nominating their favourite artwork for the People’s Choice Award which will be voted via an online poll on the “Have Your Say Central Highlands” platform.
Award categories

Category one | Easel-based works

Artworks can be any medium, including mixed media, acrylic, oil, collage, printmaking and more. Artworks should be on a non-paper-based support.

First prize – $600
Second prize – $150

Category two | Works on paper

Artworks must be on paper and can include drawings, watercolour, collage, mixed media, printmaking and more.

First prize – $600
Second prize – $150

Category three | Three-dimensional and fibre works

Artworks can include pottery, sculpture, maquette, carving, assemblage, timber, metal, stone, plastic, fibre, mosaic and more.

First prize – $600
Second prize – $150

Category four | Photography and digital art

This category is for non-manipulated images, digital art and manipulated photography.

First prize – $600
Second prize – $150

Category five | Black and white

Artworks must be in black and white and can be of any medium and in any format.

First prize – $600
Second prize – $150

Category six | Youth – 13 to 18 years

Artworks can be in any medium and in any format.

First prize – $150
Second prize – $50

Category seven | Juniors – 12 years and under

Artworks can be in any medium and in any format.

First prize – $150
Second prize – $50
Judges' awards

Central Highlands Regional Council Acquisitive Award

Selected by the judge(s), the Central Highlands Regional Council Acquisitive Award is chosen from entries in categories one to five with a prize of $2000 awarded to the winner. Artworks must be listed for sale to qualify for this award.

People’s Choice Award

Voted by an online poll open for two weeks from opening night, the People’s Choice Award comes with a $200 prize.

Key Dates 2024

Date	Description
9 February 2024, 5.00pm	Entries close
23 February 2024, 5.00pm	Final date for artwork delivery
1 March 2024, 6.00pm	Official Opening and Award Presentation
2 March to 17 April 2024	Exhibition open Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm
18 & 20 April 2024	Collection of artworks

2023 Winners

Central Highlands Regional Council Acquisitive Award

“Life in the Mangroves” Ainslie McMahon

People’s Choice Award

“Predator” Nifty Davis

Category 1 Winners (Easel Based Works)

First Prize

“Coral Dreaming” Helen Chivers

Second Prize

“Untitled” Nifty Davis

Highly Commended

“Monarch” Kiara Follent

Category 2 Winners (Works on paper)

First Prize

“Transportation of People, Grain & Coal” Carmen Beezley-Drake

Second Prize

“Rains are coming” Helen Chivers

Highly Commended

“Bridge over Nogoa River” Tara Lewis

Category 3 Winners (3-D Works)

First Prize

“Garden Sketch” Carol Forster

Second Prize

“Mottlecah” Raelene Bock

Highly Commended

“My house has many rooms” Sharon Kirk

Category 4 Winners (Photography & Digital Art)

First Prize

“On the Move” James Laws

Second Prize

“Good Tucker Mate” Lou Petho

Highly Commended

“Sky Above, Sand Below, Peace Within” Stacey Parsons

Category 5 Winners (Black & white)

First Prize

“She is Her” Stacey Parsons

Second Prize

“Following the Line” Heidi Chivers

Highly Commended

“Clothesline out the back” James Laws

Category 6 Winners (13-18 years)

First Prize

“Patchwork” India Iwers

Second Prize

“Kailie” Heidi Chivers

Highly Commended

“Time without hands” Jacob Samuels

Category 7 Winners (12 years & under)

First Prize

“Deadly Texas” Jackson Kirby

Second Prize

“Meowshrooms” Kelsey Allen

Highly Commended

“Rain like gold” Sarah Simpson
2022 Winners

Central Highlands Regional Council Acquisitive Award

“Landscape Colours” Sharon Kirk

People’s Choice Award

“Hidden Paradise” Jemma Isherwood

Category 1 Winners (Easel Based Works)

First Prize

“Feast” Loretta Horn

Second Prize

“Camping Getaway” Leonie Hopgood

Category 2 Winners (Works on paper)

First Prize

“Golden Landscape” Joanne Kerr

Second Prize

“Outback Hut” Leonie Hopgood

Category 3 Winners (3-D Works)

First Prize

“In Limb-O” Sharon Kirk

Second Prize

“Shelly Beach Vase” Carol Forster

Highly Commended

“Holy Bible: Genesis, Adam & Eve” Elaine Hayes

Category 4 Winners (Photography & Digital Art)

First Prize

“Smoky Haze” Karen Leibinger

Second Prize

“Hidden Paradise” Jemma Isherwood

Category 5 Winners (Black & white)

First Prize

“Standing Tall II” Rosalie Lucke

Second Prize

“Caught out in your underwear” Loretta Horn

Highly Commended

“The Breath on our Necks” Loretta Horn

Category 6 Winners (13-18 years)

First Prize

“Blurred Lines” India Iwers

Second Prize

“The Big Teapot” Matthew Weeks

Category 7 Winners (12 years & under)

First Prize

“Blue Square” Ariana Stewart

Second Prize

“Candlelight” Ariana Stewart

Highly Commended

“Turtles” Rainie Rea
2021 Winners

Acquisitive Local Artist Award (Artwork)

“Luther” Loretta Horn

Acquisitive Local Artist Award (Photograph)

“Windmill Dreams” Trina Patterson

People’s Choice Award

“Liquid Gold” Raelene Bock & Michelle Gray

Category 1 Winners (Easel Based)

First Prize

“Christmas Eve” Catherine Boreham

Second Prize

“Coolabah” Natasha Stanton

Highly Commended

“Emus” Leena Westaberg

Category 2 Winners (Works on paper)

First Prize

“Ochre River” Carmen Beezley-Drake

Second Prize

“Surviving the Fire” Joanne Kerr

Highly Commended

“The Old Tank Stand” Elena Churilova

Highly Commended

“The Bloodwoods are out” Rosalie Lucke

Category 3 Winners (3-D works)

First Prize

“Forest Sunset” Carol Forster

Second Prize

“Hagen” Lorelei Tuohy

Highly Commended

“Liquid Gold” Raelene Bock & Michelle Gray

Category 4 Winners (Photography & Digital Art)

First Prize

“Windmill Dreams” Trina Patterson

Second Prize

“Bloodwood Burning” Trina Patterson

Highly Commended

“End of the Day” Tricia Godwin

Category 5 Winners (Black & white)

First Prize

“Cracked Vision” Camille Swallow

Second Prize

“Poh and Panda” Trina Patterson

Category 6 Winners (Juvenile 13 – 17 years)

First Prize

“Seen but not Heard” India Iwers

Second Prize

“Pascal” India Iwers

Category 7 Winners (Junior 12 years & under)

First Prize

“Breathe the Ocean Soundwaves” Ashley Bennett

Second Prize

“House Explosion” Maggie McDougall

Highly Commended

“Flying with the Stars” Rose Kerle
Terms and Conditions

Download the terms and conditions here.

The Central Highlands Regional Council Annual Art Awards – Springsure is the Bauhinia Bicentennial Art Gallery’s premier art event. It attracts local, regional and national artists and is held annually in March.

Established and emerging artists of all ages can submit entries in up to seven categories. From easel, paper-based and three-dimensional works to photography and black and white art, each adult category comes with a $600 prize for first and $150 prize for second place.

Young Artists of the Central Highlands are encouraged to enter into the youth sections of the competition. There are two categories: Youth (13-18 years) and Juvenile (12 years and under) with a first prize of $150 and second prize of $50 awarded to winners of each category.

Each year, a judge(s) awards an artist the prestigious Central Highlands Regional Council Acquisitive Award worth $2000 to the most outstanding work from categories one to five.

In style of an evening at the gallery, the awards night and exhibition opening has become a popular event in the Central Highlands social calendar. Artists and guests mingle over wine and platters, while nominating their favourite artwork for the People’s Choice Award which will be voted via an online poll on the “Have Your Say Central Highlands” platform.

Category one | Easel-based works

Artworks can be any medium, including mixed media, acrylic, oil, collage, printmaking and more. Artworks should be on a non-paper-based support.