Abby Murray

City of Busselton Art Award

About the Awards

The City of Busselton Art Award is a prestigious contemporary visual arts award that celebrates and supports Western Australian artists while contributing to the City of Busselton Art Collection.

 

Awards 

 

The City of Busselton Art Award includes the Major Acquisitive Award, Emerging Artist Award and People’s Choice Award, alongside a Finalists Exhibition at Saltwater Gallery, showcasing all artworks selected as finalists.  

Major Acquisitive Award Package: $10,000 

The winning artwork becomes a permanent part of the City of Busselton Art Collection, providing an enduring place for the work within the City’s public art collection. The winning artist is also awarded a solo exhibition at Saltwater Gallery in 2028, providing an opportunity to further develop and present their practice to the public.

 

Submission 

 

Artists submit their entries online during the designated application period, with detailed eligibility criteria, entry requirements and submission guidelines released when applications open in May 2027. Applications typically require a high-quality image of the artwork, an artist biography and statement, and artwork details such as medium, dimensions and sale price. Artists working in any visual art medium and subject matter are encouraged to apply, subject to eligibility criteria and size restrictions. 

Submission dates and further details for the 2027 City of Busselton Art Award will be announced in 2027.

 

Judging 

 

Following the close of entries, all submissions undergo a pre-selection process. A panel of pre-selection judges reviews the entries and selects the finalists to be included in the exhibition. Finalist artworks are then assessed by a separate judging panel, which determines the award recipients. 

To ensure a diversity of perspectives and maintain the integrity of the award, judging panels are refreshed for each iteration of the Art Award. For the 2027 award, it is anticipated that a panel of three pre-selection judges and a separate panel of three final judges will be appointed. 

The City of Busselton Art Award Finalists Exhibition will be presented at Saltwater Gallery in late 2027, showcasing a diverse selection of contemporary artworks from across Western Australia and providing artists with valuable exposure to audiences, collectors and the broader arts community. 

 

Returning in 2027

 

We understand that many artists have been looking forward to entering the City of Busselton Art Award, particularly following the hiatus that occurred during the transition from ArtGeo Gallery to Saltwater Gallery while construction of the new venue was underway.

The decision to delay the return of the City of Busselton Art Award until 2027 was made for a number of important reasons. The award is a significant undertaking that typically attracts around 150 entries and requires extensive planning, coordination and support to deliver a high-quality experience for artists, judges and visitors.

Since opening Saltwater Gallery in May, our focus has been on establishing operations within the new venue, refining systems and processes, and delivering an ongoing exhibition program. This has included major exhibitions such as the Margaret River Region Open Studios group exhibition, which involved substantial planning and logistical coordination.

There are also several final enhancements to be completed within Saltwater Gallery, along with technology improvements that will support a more streamlined and efficient submission process for future art awards. Work on these improvements is already underway.

While we recognise this postponement will be disappointing for artists keen to participate, taking the time to complete these preparations will ensure the Art Award returns in a format that reflects the calibre of the event and provides the best possible experience for all involved.

We remain committed to the future of the City of Busselton Art Award and look forward to welcoming artists back when the award returns in 2027. We appreciate the understanding and ongoing support of our artistic community and we are excited to share further details as planning progresses.

Follow Saltwater Busselton on Facebook and Instagram for updates.