Two opportunities for local creatives to have their works on display in the Shepparton Art Museum’s (SAM) Community Gallery are now open to applications. SAM Fresh: GV Top Art & Design 2022, the annual VCE arts exhibition, is now open for VCE students who completed Unit 4 in Arts, Studio Arts or Visual Communications in 2022 to submit their final folio works for display. SAM Open 2023, an annual open-call group exhibition, is now accepting submissions of works that respond to the theme of Home.

SAM Fresh 2021 featured in the SAM Community Gallery as part of the museum’s opening suite of exhibitions in November 2021. The works of over 40 local VCE students were displayed and offered a valuable opportunity to establish an exhibition history for senior students wanting to pursue careers in the arts.

Available to creatives aged 16 years and over at all experience levels or career stages, SAM Open celebrates the creativity of the Greater Shepparton, Goulburn Valley and Hume regions. The theme for the upcoming SAM Open is Home. The theme is open to broad artistic interpretation and may be approached from a personal, social, or cultural perspective.  

Caroline Esbenshade, SAM Community Curator, says of the opportunities:

“I’m excited about the upcoming SAM Open and SAM Fresh exhibitions – both programs offer creatives of all stages an opportunity to exhibit their work in a nationally significant regional gallery and an opportunity for us to shine a spotlight on our community. SAM Fresh, our VCE arts show, will showcase the talent of students in our region and provide them with feedback on their work to continue in their professional development. SAM Open builds on the history of the Friends of SAM annual exhibition, celebrating and promoting the diversity of creativity in our region.”

Folio submissions for SAM Fresh: GV Top Art & Design 2022 will close on 12 December 2022. SAM Fresh will be on display at SAM from 18 February to 23 April 2023.

Applications for SAM Open 2023 will close on 6 February 2023. SAM Open will be on display at SAM from 29 April to 16 July 2023.

Information on the full process, guidelines and artwork specifications can be found on the SAM website: https://sheppartonartmuseum.com.au/support-get-involved/exhibit-at-sam/