CQ awards let local artists shine

Prestigious local Bayton Awards open to regional artists

PRIZE WINNER: Agnes Water artist Tobias De Maine with his Bayton Award winning piece Death and Devotion: urn with bowl. Picture: Rockhampton Art Gallery

ARTISTS of the Central Queensland region have until April 2019 to enter their works for prizes worth $17,000 in cash and in-kind contributions.

The prestigious Bayton Award is an initiative of the Rockhampton Art Gallery Philanthropy Board and the Council and is hosted by Rockhampton Art Gallery.

Chair of Community Services Committee, Cr Rose Swadling said that the Award brings together an exciting and significant exhibition of current art practice from across Central Queensland.

"The Bayton Award is a fantastic vehicle for capturing and showcasing our wealth of regionally residing artistic talent," Councillor Swadling said.

Judged by the Philanthropy Board and Rockhampton Art Gallery Director, the Bayton Award for Central Queensland artists is a acquisitive award celebrating the diversity and excitement of regional visual arts.　

It is open to artists living in Rockhampton, Livingstone, Gladstone, Banana, Woorabinda, Central Highlands, Isaac, Barcaldine, Blackall-Tambo, Longreach, Winton, Barcoo, Diamantina and Boulia.

In addition to a $5000 cash prize for the acquisition of the winning work, the winner's prize will also include an international artist residency in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China in 2020 and a solo exhibition at Rockhampton Art Gallery in 2022.

Bayton Award finalists are all eligible for the People's Choice Award valued at $1,000 cash to the artist and artwork that received the most votes from the free public people choice.

The award name recognises the contribution made by Bishop Bayton to the acquisition of significant artworks now held in the art gallery's collection.

The Right Reverend John Bayton was installed as Dean of Rockhampton in 1968.

Also an artist in his own right, he was the Chair of the Art Acquisition Fund in 1975.

Gallery committee members including then Mayor Rex Pilbeam, Architect Neil McKendry, gallery director Don Taylor and John Bayton were responsible for the purchase of some of significant works of art through the Whitlam Government's Contemporary Australian Art for Art Galleries scheme.

The purchase included works by Charles Blackman, John Brack, Arthur Boyd, Russell Drysdale, Rupert Bunny and Fred Williams.

The Bayton Award 2019 key dates

Entries close | Monday 1 April 2019

Entrants notified of selection | Friday 26 April 2019

Exhibition opens | Friday 21 June 2019, 6.00pm

On exhibition | 22 June 2019 - 4 August 2019

Rockhampton Art Gallery is owned and operated by Rockhampton Regional Council.

Originally published as CQ awards let local artists shine