18 December 2018

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is delighted to announce the six shortlisted artists who will present new artworks in the 2019 Sidney Myer Fund Australian Ceramic Award (SMFACA).

The Award celebrates and promotes contemporary Australian artists working in the ceramic medium. With $50,000 in prize money, the SMFACA cements its place as the premier Australian acquisitive ceramic art award.

The 2019 shortlisted artists are:

• Julie Bartholomew
• Stephen Bird
• Greg Daly
• Lynda Draper
• Juz Kitson
• Isadora Vaughan

The SMFACA is one of the most prestigious awards in the visual arts in Australia, with a uniquely ceramic focus. It has evolved over its many year history. It began in 1991 as the Sidney Myer Fund Australia Day Ceramic Award, and evolved into the Sidney Myer Fund International Ceramic Art Award in 1997, with the aim of providing an unprecedented opportunity for a major international ceramic award and exhibition in Australia.

In 2009, SAM reviewed the Award, and it returned to a format that showcases and supports contemporary Australian artists. The Award now celebrates and promotes contemporary Australian artists working in the ceramic medium. With ceramics increasingly adopted by a number of emerging and established contemporary artists, as recent exhibitions nationally and internationally have highlighted the possibilities for the medium has significantly expanded.

The Sidney Myer Fund Trustees are proud to be associated with an exhibition that understands, explores and challenges the possibilities of ceramics and art making in our contemporary world. As a direct outcome of the relationship between the Sidney Myer Fund and Shepparton Art Museum over 26 years, over 175 works have been acquired, creating a diverse and dynamic collection of works by both Australian and international artists.

The shortlisted artists will present their new bodies of work at SAM from 22 June to 1 September 2019. The winner for this acquisitive prize will be announced during the exhibition’s official opening event on Friday 21 June 2019. Accompanying the exhibition will be a series of public programs.

The 2019 Award will be judged by Lisa Slade (Assistant Director, Artistic Programs at the Art Gallery of South Australia), Stephen Benwell (Artist) and Rebecca Coates (Director, SAM).

SAM Director, Dr Rebecca Coates commented on behalf of the judges: “We wish to commend and thank all of the artists who submitted proposals for the 2019 Sidney Myer Fund Australia Ceramic Award. The six shortlisted artists selected by the judges reflect the exciting and innovative ways that artists are working with ceramics as a contemporary medium. We look forward to seeing how their projects develop and evolve with much anticipation.”

The 2019 SMFACA attracted an extremely high calibre of entrants, with around 50 applications from around the country by many of Australia’s leading contemporary artists and ceramicists.

Important Dates

Exhibition Official opening and Award announcement: Friday 21 June, 5 to 8pm

Exhibition Dates: Saturday 22 June to Sunday 1 September 2019

Public programs & floor talks: Commencing 21 June 2019