Annual Art Award

The Art Awards started in 2008 following a partnership with the Queanbeyan Art Society dating back to 1975.
Council sponsored a major acquisitive prize at the society’s annual exhibition and the prize-winning artworks form the bulk of council’s art collection. The collection also contains additional works acquired at these exhibitions and others that have been gifted, and totals approximately 130 works.
Since 2008 the Art Awards have been both a non-acquisitive and acquisitive exhibition sponsored and managed by QPRC and held in The Q-Exhibition Space, in Queanbeyan.
2023 Art Award exhibition
The Braidwood and Bungendore Bendigo Bank branches have increased their financial support of the QPRC Art Awards to $10,000. This allows the introduction of a $2,000 First Nations Indigenous Art Award and $500 Highly Commended Awards in most categories. It will double the number of artists receiving awards in 2023 and encourage and promote Indigenous artists to participate in this public arts initiative.
Council still maintains the $5,000 Acquisitive Award, which adds a significant local artist work to our collection each year and rewards the artist most voted for in the $1,000 People’s Choice Award. Independent judges from outside our region are selected and volunteer their time. Our Sponsors – Palerang Financial Services trading as - Braidwood & Bungendore Community Bank Branches of Bendigo Bank – will give out two awards - The ‘Bendigo Pick Award’ and its runner up.
This year the art competition has been re-branded as the QPRC and Bendigo Bank 2023 Art Awards.
Entry is only open to artists and craftspeople 18 years and over who live in the Queanbeyan-Palerang local government area. The Awards Exhibition will be held at The Q-Exhibition Space in Queanbeyan.
2023 Winners
Proudly supported by Bendigo Bank
- $5,000 Major Acquisitive Award – Lesley Sykes
- $3,000 3D Art Award - Lea Durie
- $500 3D Highly Commended - Megan Toone
- $2,000 First Nation's Indigenous Art Award - Lea Palij
- $500 First Nation's Highly Commended - Gail Neuss
- $2,000 Emerging Artist Award - Mahala Hill
- $500 Emerging Artist Highly Commended (this was not awarded this year, and instead a $500 People's Choice Highly Commended will be awarded)
- $1,000 Bendigo Pick Award - Jerusha McDowell
- $500 Bendigo Highly Commended - Angela Harris
- $1,000 People's Choice Award - Jo Parsons
- $500 People's Choice Highly Commended - Marren Toone and Kate Carruthers (tied for votes)