Celebrating Local Artists at Inaugural Winter Art Prize

More than 500 visitors gathered at North Sydney Community Centre (NSCC) for its inaugural Winter Art Prize, celebrating local creativity through more than 200 artwork entries.

The exhibition welcomed high school students and adults to showcase their artistic talents and compete for prizes under the theme Things That Bring Us Together.

NSCC Director Sarah Cunningham praised the strong response to the inaugural event.

“The response to our Winter Art Prize has been fantastic, and we look forward to creating more opportunities for artists in our community,” Mrs Cunningham said.

The first prize of $2,300 was awarded to Penny Ainscow for her artwork Where Jacarandas Bloom, while Alice Jovicic received the Youth Prize for her piece Community at the Courts.

NSCC Marketing Coordinator Gretel Duque said the exhibition theme encouraged artists to explore the connections that bring people together through creativity.

“The goal was to create an event that celebrated local artists and strengthened community connections,” Ms Duque said.

Alongside the two main prizes, additional awards recognised other artists' interpretations of the theme.

The judging panel included Australian painter, sculptor and art teacher Ann Cape, who has been active in Australia's art scene for more than 40 years.

“It was a privilege to see such a diverse range of work from artists across the community. The quality, originality and personal stories behind the artworks made the judging process incredibly rewarding,” Ms Cape said.

North Sydney Community Centre is an independent not-for-profit organisation offering inclusive programs, classes, lifelong learning opportunities and community events.

Article written by students from Griffith University.

Media contact: Iva Bakovic, Media Relations Officer
Email: iva.bakovic@griffithuni.com