.png "Anderson Art Award")
- Galleries in the Gardens (GiG) is a not-for-profit cooperative of about 50 local artists on the Myall Coast. Our aims and objectives are to:
- Provide outlets for local artists to exhibit and sell their work
- Improve the cultural identity of our village by promoting the arts within the communities of Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest
- Foster participation in art and encourage excellence amongst artists
GiG operates an art gallery (The Gallery) on the Tea Gardens waterfront. The Gallery property is owned by the Anderson family and is generously made available to GiG at a nominal rent. The Gallery is operated by member volunteers on a roster basis and operates from 10am to 4pm daily, except Tuesdays.
Anderson Art Award 2025
The second biennial Anderson Art Award 2025 is a community initiative scheduled for April 2025 to recognise and celebrate the Arts on the Myall Coast. Artists from across the state will be invited to enter the competition. There will be two prizes of $4,000 for the winners in two- and three-dimensional categories as well as two highly commended awards. This Award acknowledges the magnificent contributions that Rob and Lee Anderson have made to the Arts on the Myall Coast over many years. Their most significant has been establishing “The Gallery” on the Tea Gardens waterfront.
For 2025, prizes of $4,000 in each of two categories are offered, as well as two Highly Commended awards will be offered: 1. Two-dimensional (2D) work (painting, print, drawing etc.) = $4,000. 2. Three-dimensional (3D) work (sculptures, ceramics, wood, glass, metal etc.) = $4,000.
Entry forms and details below.
Conditions of entry below.
What is the purpose of this award?
To enhance the reputation of Galleries in the Gardens as an important visual arts organisation and the Myall Coast as a significant home of arts in Midcoast. To achieve this, we plan to have an ongoing art award that increases its profile (and prizemoney) over time. The Award also recognizes the major impact that the Anderson family has made on the arts in Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest.Our aim is to run the award biennially with increasing prizemoney over time as the event becomes recognised as a major art award in NSW.
Watercolour painting by Rob Anderson
The Award
Our inaugural Anderson Art Award in 2023 offered $7,000 prizemoney for two- and three-dimensional artworks. We received and displayed 147 entries from locals and as far afield as Port Macquarie, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Sydney. Because we received positive feedback from our entrants and sponsors, we are increasing prizemoney to $10,000 = $4,000 each for 2D and 3D winners plus highly commended awards. We are limited to about 150 artworks on display in our Gallery, so we will have to introduce a selection process. Selected entries are to be delivered to us about a week before the opening and our Curatorial Committee displays them in The Gallery.
We will invite a recognised art expert or experts to judge the entries and select the prizewinners.
In 2023 Ms Kim Blunt, Senior Curator of the Maitland Regional Art Gallery was our judge. All artworks will be for sale at prices nominated by the entrants and will be on display in The Gallery until Sunday 11th May 2025. Unsold artworks will remain the property of the artists, including prizewinners.A catered opening event will be held on Saturday 12th April 2025 where sponsors, selected dignitaries, representatives from local community groups, our members and art award entrants are invited to attend to hear the results of the Art Award competition.
How are GIG event profits used?
Galleries in the Gardens distributes profits within the community. For example, two years ago we established an annual art competition and prizes for Bulahdelah Central School HSC Visual Arts students. This included exhibiting student artworks for two weeks in "The Gallery". Other examples include donations we have made to wildlife rescue, RFS, Meals on Wheels and Tea Gardens Public School for library books.
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY - Anderson Art Award 2025
Galleries in the Gardens (GiG), a not-for-profit artist’s co-operative located in Tea Gardens, NSW, is organizing this biennial competition. Any funds raised will go towards further promotion of the Arts on the Myall Coast on the north shore of Port Stephens.
- Entries (including quality digital photos of the entry) must be made on official Entry Forms and submitted by email to gigmyall@gmail.com no later than Thursday 27th March 2025. One entry per form.
- The entry fee of $30 per item must be deposited at the time of entry to the Galleries in the Gardens bank account at Regional Australia Bank: BSB 932 000, A/C No. 500201961. Enter the artist’s name as reference on the deposit.
- Entrants will be required to provide an Australian Tax Office “Statement by a Supplier” declaration to indicate their tax status, unless they have stated an ABN No. on their entry.
- All entries must be the original work of the artist(s) and must have been created in the 12 months prior to the entry closing date. Collaborations are acceptable. Multiple entries per artist(s) are acceptable.
- There will be two categories of entry: two-dimensional (2D) artworks (e.g. paintings, drawings, original prints, etc.), and three-dimensional (3D) artworks (e.g. ceramics, wood, metal, etc. sculptures). Prizemoney will be awarded to the winners of each category as well as “Highly Commended” awards in each category.
- Entries can be on any subject and utilise any medium that fits the size criteria. 2D works are limited in size to a maximum of 1000mm x 1000mm and 3D works are limited to a maximum of 1000mm height, 500mm width and 500mm depth.
- The judging criteria for entries will be originality, creativity, artistic merit and conformance to these Conditions of Entry.
- Entry title, artist’s name(s) and selling price must be clearly indicated with the artwork, including on the back of 2D artworks and the base of 3D artworks.
- All entries must be as per these Conditions of Entry and be ready to display.
- The GiG Curatorial Committee reserves the right to reject any entry deemed unsuitable.
- The artist(s) authorize Galleries in the Gardens, at its discretion, to allow photographs of any entry and/or works to be reproduced in all forms of media for exhibition promotional purposes.
- Based on the judging criteria and depending on the number of entries received, the Galleries in the Gardens Curatorial Committee will select those artworks for display and final judging using the digital photos included with the entries. A maximum of 150 entries will be displayed.
- Artists will be advised by email on Saturday 29 March 2025 if their artwork has been selected for display and judging.
- Selected artworks must be delivered to the Gallery at 81 Marine Drive, Tea Gardens NO LATER THAN 4pm on Friday 4th April 2025. Artists are responsible for any costs incurred in delivery, including insurance (which GiG recommends).
- Greatest possible care will be taken BUT no liability will be accepted for loss or damage of exhibits.
- The winning artworks will be chosen by an independent judge or judges and announced at the opening of the exhibition at The Gallery on Saturday 12th April 2025.
- The judges’ decisions will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
- The works will be displayed in the Gallery from Friday 11th April to Sunday 11th May 2025.
- Winners will be advised by phone and email and will be publicised within 2 weeks of the judging via press releases to local and regional news outlets. The winners will also be posted on our website www.galleriesinthegardens.com.au .
- The Competition is non-acquisitive, i.e. if unsold, prize-winning artworks remain the property of the artist(s).
- While on display during the exhibition, the displayed works will be for sale for the price nominated by the artist(s) on the Entry Form and until the end of the exhibition unless sold beforehand.
- The Committee will retain 25% commission from all sales. Sales will be administered by the Galleries in the Gardens Management Committee.
- Payment for prizes will be made within 10 days of the announcement of winners.
- Payment for sales will be made within 14 days of the end of the exhibition.
- Unsold artworks are to be collected or returned from Monday 12th May 2025.
- Artists are responsible for any costs incurred in the return of exhibits, including insurance, if requested. Artists must make prior arrangements with the GiG for payment of return costs. GiG will reuse the packaging used to send the exhibits, if possible.
- Proof of identity or written authority to collect will be required from persons wishing to collect artworks after the competition.
- Unsold works, if not collected within one month of the end of the exhibition (i.e. 12 June 2025), become the property of Galleries in the Gardens.
Questions about the exhibition can be addressed to the event co-ordinator:
Ian Morphett at ianmorphett@gmail.com or mobile 0410 536 556.
