Hello to our wonderful artist community,
Wow – what a year 2020 has turned out to be. We sincerely hope you are all keeping safe and well and most importantly sane during these incredibly challenging times.
As you’re probably all aware, the entry deadline for artworks is this Friday, however we have some updated event details that are going to affect you all.
We are currently proceeding with the event and will have a lot to celebrate come October 10th. We are forging ahead for our 10th anniversary year and have put in place plans to ensure that we are meeting all health and safety requirements in relation to COVID-19.
First and foremost, we are extending the exhibition dates.
The opening weekend will still be the Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th October, but we’ve decided to extend the exhibition for another 2 weeks following the opening weekend to ensure we don’t exceed the number of guests on-site at any given time given the restrictions that are currently in place.
The exhibition will now close on Sunday 25th October. The exhibition will run and be open to the public for a total of 16 days, giving visitors more of an opportunity to buy and then perhaps consider works and return for more, something they’ve not been able to do in the past.
When it comes to the installation at the beginning of the event, this will now be staggered and be by appointment so that we can manage our health and safety obligations. In regard to de-installation, we are happy to work with each artist to find a suitable time to collect work after the 25th October. If the changed conditions of leaving your artwork for an additional 2 weeks is problematic, please get in touch to discuss.
Excitedly and in some good news, we have a new prize on offer, the $5,000 Emerging Artist Acquisition Prize.
This is open to artists who are in the first five years of their professional practice of sculpture making. This acquisition prize will be another MWRC public art piece and will be displayed permanently in the grounds of the new Mudgee Hospital.
This prize is complemented by the existing acquisitive awards on offer including the:
$25,000 Sculptures in the Garden and Mid-Western Regional Council Acquisition Prize.
$10,000 Friends of Sculptures in the Garden Acquisition Prize.
$5,000 Moolarben Acquisition Prize.
$5,000 Emerging Artist Acquisition Prize *NEW*
Open to artists who are in the first five years of their professional practice. The winning acquisition will be displayed permanently in the grounds of the new Mudgee Hospital.
$2,500 Simon & Susie Bennett Artistic Merit Acquisition Prize for Small Sculpture *NEW*
Entries should be within 100cm in any dimension. The winning acquisition will be displayed permanently in the grounds of the new Mudgee Hospital.
$500 People's Choice Award
$300 The Sculptors Society Sensory Sculpture prize
In total there is $48,300 worth of prize money to be awarded at the 10th-anniversary Sculptures in the Garden event with all acquired works forming part of the Mid-Western Regional Council’s public art collection. If you have already completed your SIG entry form and would like to be considered for these prizes, please get in touch.
A note to our beloved Victorian artists;
We have a strong network in Victoria and we value all of your incredible support over the years. We have had an incredibly kind and generous offer from Artist, Chris Anderson who has offered his services to organise a truck of Victorian sculptures and freight them up to Mudgee for SIG. If you are interested in this opportunity please get in touch with Chris: 0457 079 230 artychrisaustralia@gmail.com and don’t forget to fill out an entry form.
Don’t forget too that while you’re all busily working away, we’d love to showcase your work online so if you’re uploading any videos or images of your works in progress, please be sure to tag Sculptures in the Garden @sculpturesinthegarden so we can share your work across our channels and get everyone excited for what’s to come.
If you have any questions or need any help in submitting your entry, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We will also continue to keep you updated with any developments on this year’s event as they occur.
Our thoughts are with you and your families at this time and we hope you are staying safe and well during this uncertainty.
With warm regards and thanks,
Kay Norton-Knight
Sculptures in the Garden Artistic Director
PO Box 3, Mudgee 2850
0428 635 993
E: kay@rosby.com.au
W: www.sculpturesinthegarden.com.au