PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
20 MAY 2021
EXCITING NEW PRIZE FOR 2021 WOLLOMBI VALLEY SCULPTURE FESTIVAL
Entrants in the 2021 Wollombi Valley Sculpture Festival will have a chance to compete for an exciting and unusual new prize in addition to the expanded list of prizes already announced for this year.
Following a most enjoyable visit by the Governor of New South Wales, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC, to the festival in 2020, the organisers are thrilled to announce ‘The Governor’s Prize’ offered in partnership with the Governor.
The winning work will be displayed at Government House for 12 months from the end of the festival, proving an opportunity for unprecedented exposure and enhanced prestige. Many thousands of people from all walks of life will pass by the winning piece during the year, meaning it will reach a very wide public audience.
Only works that are made from materials suitable for outdoor installation without needing maintenance will be eligible. Transport and installation costs will be covered by the festival and insurance by Government House.
The festival has become a prominent event in the arts calendar of NSW, with over 160 sculptures displayed in four indoor galleries, two vineyards and throughout the scenic landscape of the valley. Entries are now open, and close on Saturday 19 June.
This year the festival will be held a month earlier, opening on Saturday September 11, running over two weeks and three weekends and closing on Sunday 26 September. The opening promises to be an exciting occasion, with ABC Radio’s Simon Marnie officiating again this year, joined by David Handley AM, founding director of Sculpture by the Sea.
The other prizes this year include a first prize of $25,000, an indoor prize of $7,000, highly commended $5,000, and prizes for local artists, emerging artists and young artists. All selected entrants can sell their works during the festival and also advertise them in the new Wollombi Valley Sculpture Festival Online Gallery. Unsold outdoor pieces can generally be left on-site until June 2022.
The Wollombi Valley Sculpture Festival is the longest-running regional outdoor sculpture exhibition in Australia. It celebrates contemporary sculpture in all its forms, from sophisticated, modernist art works to more whimsical and ephemeral pieces.
The festival is supported by Cessnock City Council, the Wollombi Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Wollombi Valley Progress Association, the Wollombi Valley Tennis Club and the Wollombi Valley Arts Council. Many local businesses and individual volunteers are also involved and make a crucial contribution to its operation.
Media contact:
Festival Director, Susan Leith-Miller, 0403 270 365 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.sculptureinthevineyards.com.au