A proudly Footscray born-and-bred artist is relishing the chance to help judge the inaugural Footscray Art Prize.
The $17,500 prize, launched on Friday night, offers Australian artists a chance to showcase their work and vie for rewards including $10,000 in cash for the overall winner.
Reko Rennie, a Footscray-born artist who explores his Aboriginal identity through contemporary media, said he was excited to have been invited to sit on the four-person judging panel.
“I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity given I grew up in Footscray,” he said.
Rennie said growing up in the west, and being exposed to politically charged graffiti on the streets of Footscray, had strongly shaped his own creative work.
He said funding cuts to the arts made prizes such as this increasingly vital and welcome.
“It’s important that these prizes are out there for artists,” Rennie said.
“It’s often a way to have your art seen by curators or galleries.”
As well as the $10,000 prize, the Footscray Art Prize will include a street art prize ($5000), tertiary art prize ($1500) and two young artist prizes ($500 each) open to young people in Melbourne’s west.
The Footscray Art Prize will be awarded every second year, in a collaboration between Victoria University, Maribyrnong council, Footscray Community Arts Centre and the Rotary Club of Footscray.
VU vice chancellor Peter Dawkins said the prize is a legacy of VU’s Centenary celebrations and acknowledges the talents, vibrancy, and creativity of local artists.
Maribyrnong mayor Catherine Cumming said Footscray is developing an enviable reputation as a centre of arts and culture.
“We believe there will be a fantastic response to the Footscray Art Prize from artists across Australia.”
Entries close on March 3, 2017, and winners will be announced in May, 2017.
Further details: www.vu.edu.au
