Art prize draws near, finalists announced

The show must go on for one of the state’s most prestigious arts events, the Basil Sellers Art Prize.

Finalists for the biennial prize were announced earlier this month, and Eurobodalla Mayor Liz Innes is looking forward to what is a highlight in the region’s calendar.

“This has been such a tough year for our local artists, and I’m so pleased that with the generous support of philanthropist and art-lover Mr Basil Sellers we can help enliven the creative arts industry in the south-east,” she said.

“Once again the finalist’s works are world class, and I can’t wait to see who takes out the major prize.”

The 2020 Basil Sellers Art Prize finalists are: Jane Louise Aliendi, Robert Berry, Yvonne Boag, Kristone Capistrano, Tristan Chant, Lorna Crane, Nicolette Eisdell, Mirabel Fitzgerald, Steve Fox, Anna Glynn, Victoria Hempstead, Julie Mia Holmes, Janece Huntley, Yvonne Langshaw, Raewyn Lawrence, Libby Moore, Susan Nader, James Needham, Catherine O’Donnell, Veronica O’leary, Steven Thomas, Karyn Thompson, Mark Ward, Simon Welsh, Stuart Whitelaw and Peter Yates.

The major prize winner will receive $20,000, with their winning work acquired by Mr Sellers.

Eurobodalla artists are also eligible for Council's acquisitive prize of $5,000, which comes with the opportunity for a solo exhibition in the Basil Sellers Exhibition Centre in 2021, while the People's Choice Award offers $500.

The prize is open to visual artists from across NSW and the ACT and Eurobodalla artists can submit two entries.

Eurobodalla Council’s coordinator creative arts development Indi Carmichael said 2020 has seen an unprecedented amount of entries, more than doubling those of previous years.

“We are able to showcase a great variety of techniques and mediums in the finalist selection,” she said.

“It was really pleasing to see so many Eurobodalla entries and see so many locals selected as finalists. We always knew our artists could perform on a wider stage and we are very excited to see the exhibition in the gallery.”

The winner will be announced on Friday 9 October, while works of the selected finalists are scheduled to be exhibited at the Bas from Saturday 10 October to Monday 9 November.

Meanwhile, with the gallery doors temporarily closed again this week, Council’s arts team is turning its attention online.

Ms Carmichael said that despite the Bas gallery being closed, the team was committed to the program.

“In the coming weeks, our current and upcoming exhibitions will shift to an online format, with the introduction of online exhibition tours and exhibiting artist profiles available on our website and social media channels,” she said.

“We hope to still host exhibitions in our beautiful art space, however moving online will enable the community to get their art-fix anytime, from the comfort of their own home, no matter what the future brings.”