Western Australia Environmental Art Awards

1 2 3 4 5

Client

Conservation Council of Western Australia

My Role

Curator 2011

Links

ccwa org.au

Select Media

WA Environmental Art Awards Condition of Entry, 2011

WA Environmental Art Awards Exhibition Poster, 2011

Greener Times, 2012, pages 26-27

In 2011 I initiated the inaugural Western Australian Environmental Art Awards in partnership with the Conservation Council of WA. The Awards aimed to provide an opportunity for the Western Australian community, including visual artists and creative environmentalists, to develop and exhibit artwork reflecting the WA environment and key environmental and sustainability themes.

A total of 187 entries were received from professional, amateur, youth and children artists around the state. The diversity and caliber of artworks were both amazing and inspiring. Entries ranged from sculptures, prints, photographs, digital works and paintings, to textiles, stencil-art, glassworks, collages and jewellery. Entries reflected upon many aspects of our Western Australian environment including our unique flora, fauna and ecosystems, as well as commenting on a number of sustainability issues currently pertinent to WA including climate change, uranium mining, salinity, biodiversity loss, drought and over-consumption

Three judges—well-known West Australian artists’ Nalda Searles and Perdita Phillips, and Conservation Council President Nicole Hodgson—had the unenviable task of assessing all of the entries and selecting winners and recipients of high commendation for each of the award categories: Professional, Amateur, Youth, Children, and the United Nations International Year of the Forests. A People’s Choice Award was also on offer and voted by visitors to the exhibition.

The City of Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi officially opened the exhibition at the Perth City Farm, with judges announcing winners. The opening night saw more than 200 people in attendance, with the exhibition having more than 1,000 visitors during the two-week open period, 22 October to 5 November 2011.

My Key Roles

Project conception, development and management
Liaison with and between key project partners
Grant-writing and sourcing sponsors
Drafting of design materials, including Conditions of Entry, Entry Form, Opening Night Invitation, List of Works
Appointment of Judging panel and overseeing judging process
Curation of exhibition
Coordination of opening night
Development of artist database
Project documentation, evaluation and reporting

Key Outcomes

187 entries received
6-week exhibition
$8,750 worth of cash prizes awarded
200+ people attending the Opening Night
1000+ visitors to the exhibition
Development of new networks, partners and corporate sponsors for CCWA

PREVIOUS PROJECT FLOURISHING: ONLINE ART WORKSHOPS

NEXT PROJECT TONY STANISHEFF

What my clients say

“Susie has provided professional services to CCWA in the form of grant writing as well as administration and delivery of arts and cultural projects. Susie draws from her wide range of professional skills to develop and deliver projects that provide outstanding value to her clients and the broader community. Susie has excellent communication skills and her integrity, compassion and kindness provide a basis for professional relationships that are built on respect and mutual understanding. Susie always goes above and beyond what is expected, working with creativity, passion and commitment to ensure that whatever she commits to is delivered to the highest possible standard. Susie’s ability to take an arts or creative project from initial conception to final delivery, while including and engaging all stakeholders and partners along the way is truly inspirational. Her outstanding talent, commitment and dedication would be an asset to any organisation or project she works on. Working with Susie is an absolute pleasure and I have no hesitation in endorsing her for any future project.”

Piers VerstegenDirector | Conservation Council of Western Australia

“Excellent exhibition where all artists of different backgrounds and ages are tied together with a common theme. Just beautiful!”

Visitor Book Comment

“Susie Waller was a fantastic Curator and Manager of the event. … This art award was the most interesting exhibition I have been to in many years, because everyone had an important statement to say, and the artists were able to respond and convey them in many interesting ways.”

Lyn MazzilliArtist

“What a wonderful exhibition – thought-provoking and playful, serious stuff! The children have loved it! Thank you!”

Visitor Book Comment