Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award 2023
Published on 24 October 2022
The Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award is a biennial nationally significant award that will celebrate its eighth iteration in 2023. It has been presented by Wangaratta Art Gallery since 2009.
The award holds a vision and commitment towards the advancement and growth of contemporary textiles. It is an acquisitive award that embodies the current state of play for contemporary textile practice in Australia.
Wangaratta Art Gallery is delighted to announce local, Wangaratta based Kyamba Foundation, as project partner for the award for 2023 and 2025. The financial support from the Kyamba Foundation partnership will see the award increase from $10,000 to a $40,000 acquisitive award.
Gallery Director, Simone Nolan said, “We are thrilled to partner with the Kyamba Foundation to deliver an award that is now well on the way to becoming the equivalent of a one-year living wage for an artist of excellence.”
“The acquisitive prize money has remained at $10,000 since 2013. This commitment and financial investment from the Kyamba Foundation will help the award to grow and remain relevant to the artists we want to attract within the contemporary textile sector.”
Cynthia Brown from the Kyamba Foundation said, “Our support will guarantee that Wangaratta remains known as the textile capital of Australia and that it dominates with a national contemporary textile award of excellence. It was in desperate need of growing its financial support and our foundation is delighted to commit to this partnership.”
The prize money amount is guided by the National Association of Visual Arts (NAVA) standards, where the prize money should reflect the time, status, and career development of the desired artists in which the award is aimed towards.
Rural City of Wangaratta Mayor, Cr Dean Rees said, “Wangaratta has a long and prominent history of textiles in manufacturing and as a craft form.”
“Wangaratta Art Gallery builds upon this unique tradition by presenting this outstanding award.”
“This award holds the reputation of promoting national contributions of excellence from Australian contemporary textile practitioners. Increasing this award amount to $40,000 is a big deal for Wangaratta and we are very grateful to the Kyamba Foundation for their support which will ensure the award’s continued success.”
The 2023 Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award will call for entries from 25 November 2022, and entries will close on 3 March 2023 at 5pm AEDT.
For further information contact on the media release please contact Gallery Director Simone Nolan s.nolan@wangaratta.vic.gov.au or call 0419 322 086.
For WCTA award entry details please visit: www.wangarattaartgallery.com.au.