Celebrating sketching and sculpture skills

Maribyrnong mayor Sarah Carter and Footscray Community Arts artistic director Daniel Santangeli are calling for any interested artists to put forward their works for this year's Footscray Art Prize. (Supplied)

Footscray artists and creatives from across the western suburbs are encouraged to finalise their plans for their entries into this year’s Footscray Art Prize.

Entries close at noon on Monday, March 20 ahead of the exhibition opening on July 15.

Prize categories include the Footscray Art Prize ($20,000), the Local Acquisition Prize ($10,000), the Residency Artist Prize ($2000) and the Young Artists Prize for primary students ($500) and secondary students ($500).

Entries can cover paintings, drawings, photographs, engravings, sculptures and installations, digital and video work and beyond.

Footscray Community Arts artistic director Daniel Santangeli said this year will see the value of the major prize doubled.

“Independent artists in Australia have been hit hard by COVID-19,” he said.

“Many experienced a loss of work and struggled to access government support schemes.

“By doubling the value of the major prize, we wanted to recognise that support for artists is most acute now in this time of recovery.”

Maribyrnong mayor Sarah Carter said the council is proud to support the Footscray Art Prize once again.

“Footscray is a thriving cultural and creative hub with an enviable reputation as a centre of arts and culture in the inner west, and the success of the Footscray Art Prize since its inception in 2016 reflects and celebrates this artistic vibrancy,” she said.

“I encourage creatives from across our city to mark their calendars and apply.”

This year’s main prize judges will be Monash University Museum of Art director Charlotte Day, artist and curator Phuong Ngo and National Gallery of Victoria First Nations art curator Shonae Hobson.

Details: www.footscrayartprize.com