The Jury Art Prize – Artwork showcase platform for regional artists
The Junction Co. and Courthouse Gallery+Studio team are thrilled to confirm that amid the difficult time of COVID-19, one of regional WA’s most long-standing art awards, and recently re-imagined, The Jury Art Prize 2020 (formerly the Hedland Art Awards), will still be going ahead as planned in June 2020.

The Junction Co. are pleased to confirm a prize pool of just under $30,000 thanks to sponsors The Town of Port Hedland, Category5, and Roy Hill. There are four prize categories, The Judges Prize winner ($10,000), Kathy Donnelly Award ($3,000), and Patron’s Award ($3,000 scholarship for a Hedland artist) will be selected by a panel of judges, whilst the fourth prize category, the people’s choice vote Jury Prize ($10,000) will be announced at the close of the virtual exhibition.

Guest judge artist and curator Glenn Iseger-Pilkington, and Fremantle Art Centre curator Erin Coates, alongside a third judge, will announce the winners and launch the virtual exhibition on 5 June. Coates says,
“This award exhibition provides a snapshot of the huge diversity of creative practices across our state. At this point in time, it also reveals elements of the current contexts in which artists are creating work, with resilience, curiosity and imagination. It is both an honour and a pleasure to be invited as a judge this year. The Judges’ Prize carries the status of a substantial award and I very much look forward to engaging with all the artworks that are contenders for this prize. “

Artists across regional Western Australian are encouraged to make the most of their time indoors by pushing themselves to create work in time to meet The Jury Art Prize April submission deadline . Executive Officer Katie Evans explains,
“It’s critical that we do our best to keep our community of artists motivated and their spirits high during this time – we are here to provide hope that the creative industries will continue to thrive.