Wollumbin Art Award
Congratulations to our 2024 Wollumbin Art Award finalists!
About the award Key dates Prize categories Finalists
About the award
The Wollumbin Art Award (WAA) is the Gallery’s biennial $30,000 award open to artists living in the Tweed, Ballina, Byron, Kyogle and Scenic Rim Shires, as well as Richmond Valley, Lismore and Gold Coast City.
The Award, named for the mountain the Gallery overlooks, celebrates the calibre and diversity of artists of the region. There is no theme and artists may submit works in any medium.
Photo by Tanya Linney
Image credit: Kate HolmesThe 2024 Judge is recently appointed Director of Hazelhurst Arts Centre, Sebastian Goldspink. A proud descendant of the Burramattagal people of Western Sydney, Goldspink is an independent curator with international and domestic experience. His extensive career includes founding artist-run space ALASKA Projects, curating the 2022 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art, and professional appointments at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Art Month Sydney, National Art School and dLux Media Arts.
The 2024 Pre-selection Panel included Sebastian Goldspink, Aunty Joyce Summers, Gallery Director Ingrid Hedgcock and Exhibitions Curator Tina Wilson.
2024 Key dates
Entries opened:
Monday 25 March, 5 pm
Entries closed:
Monday 3 June, 5 pm
Finalists announced:
Tuesday 25 June
Exhibition dates:
Friday 6 September – Sunday 24 November
Winners announced:
Saturday 7 September
Prize categories
Wollumbin Art Award, Winner
The $15,000 prize includes a two week residency at the Nancy Fairfax Artist in Residence Studio at Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre.
WAA Bundjalung Award
The $10,000 Bundjalung Award for First Nations artists includes an exhibition at Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre, and this award is sponsored by the Tweed Regional Gallery Foundation Ltd.
WAA Emerging Artist
The Emerging Artist Award is $5,000 and is supported by Leanne & Greg Tong-Lyon.
2024 Wollumbin Art Award Finalists
- Meli Axford
- Cheryl Bailey
- Elsie Biles
- Stephen Bird
- Fiona Blake
- Emily-Sarah Boldeman
- Chuck Bradley
- Monica Buscarino
- Lucia Canuto
- Kirsten Chambers
- Aaron Chapman
- Nickolla Clark
- Kane Corowa
- Colleen DaRosa
- Raimond de Weerdt
- Lorraine Dean
- Elizabeth Dodds
- Kathryn Dolby
- Shannon Doyle
- Lyle Duncan
- Kath Egan
- Candice Elphick
- Tal Fitzpatrick
- Chris Fryer
- Isabell Heiss
- Justin Hunt
- Skye Jamieson
- Cedar Jeffs
- Nat Kafka
- Jason King
- Jenny Kitchener
- Aria Kitchener
- Hannah Lange
- Habitat Legit
- Corinne Lewis
- Julie Lipsett
- Lisa Sorbie Martin
- Laith McGregor
- Tamara Mendels
- Diana Miller
- Naomi Moran
- Antoinette O’Brien
- Judy Oakenfull
- Tracey Piccoli
- Sabine Pick
- Wallace Randolph
- Caitlin Reilly
- Jacqueline & Dane Scotcher
- Anne Smerdon
- Dave Sparkes
- Zen Staff
- Araby Steen
- Sam Steinhauer
- John Stewart
- Michael Stiegler
- Mick Stovin
- Robyn Sweaney
- Yasmina Tadic
- Trish Tait
- Caitlin Turnbull
- Brad Turner
- Joshua Vogel
- Emma Walker
- Dawn Walker
- Chelle Wallace
- Amber Wallis
- Rudiger Wasser
- Oksana Waterfall
- Natalie Wilkin
- Kat Shapiro Wood
- Edward "Jimmi James" Wright
- Karena Wynn-Moylan
2022 award winners
Amber Wallis, ‘Ivy With Eyes’ 2021, oil on linen, 150 x 130cm.
Michael Philp, ‘Pearly Shells’ 2022, acrylic on canvas, 91 x 122 cm. Mia Forrest, ‘Red Flowering Gum’, in motion 2022, video. Images courtesy the artists © The artists
The winner of the inaugural Wollumbin Art Award was Amber Wallis for her painting Ivy with Eyes.
The winner of the inaugural WAA Bundjalung Award was Michael Philp for his painting Pearly shells.
The winner of the inaugural WAA Emerging Artist Award was Mia Forrest for her video work Flowering Red Gum, in motion.
2022 Highly Commended
- Caleb Reid
- Xanthe Dobbie
- Michael Donnelly
- Zion Levy Stewart
- Marian Tubbs
- Nathan Falk
- Amarina Toby
- Brendan Kelly
- Courtney Cook
- Zen Staff.
The 2022 guest judge was curator, writer and Editor of Vault Magazine, Alison Kubler. The 2022 WAA pre-selection panel included the TRG&MOAC Gallery Director and the TRG&MOAC Exhibitions Curator, as well as Kylie Caldwell, Indigenous Art Officer, Arts Northern Rivers and respected Local Elder Aunty Joyce Summers.