SWAP | Sustainable Waste 2 Art Prize

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Jump to:  About the Art Prize - Categories and Prizes - Important Dates - Terms and Conditions - More Information

SWAP OPENING SOON!

The Sustainable Waste 2 Art Prize (SWAP) opens on Tuesday 2 April 2024.

The Sustainable Waste 2 Art Prize (SWAP) is an environmental art competition for people aged 10 and over who live, work, study or play in the City of Ryde. SWAP aims to raise awareness of environmental issues and encourage positive behaviour change using artworks and design objects made from upcycled waste materials as mediums of communication.

There’s $5,000 in prizes across six categories – Junior (10-13yrs), Youth (14-17yrs), Open (18yrs+), Functional, Schools Participation and People’s Choice. Prizes will be awarded based on the upcycling of waste materials, environmental messaging and artistic merit.

Prizes will be awarded at the Opening Night and Awards Ceremony at See Street Gallery, Meadowbank TAFE on Thursday 5 September 2024.

Around 80 artworks and design objects will be selected for exhibition at See Street Gallery, Meadowbank TAFE from Friday 6 September to Thursday 19 September 2024 and virtual tour on Council’s website from Friday 6 September to Sunday 22 September 2024.

View photos from the 2023 Awards Ceremony & Exhibition

About the Art Prize

Read more about the Art Prize

What kind of art can be submitted?
  • Artworks and design objects submitted to SWAP must relate to environment, sustainability or waste themes and be made from used or recovered waste materials
  • Works can be two or three dimensional. They can be an artwork such as a sculpture, assemblage, collage or textile piece, or a functional object you can wear or use.
  • Works must be no larger than 150cm in height, width or depth. This includes the frame or any other display devices.
  • Three-dimensional works can be free standing or wall mounted. If wall mounted, they cannot exceed 20kg in weight.
  • New (non-waste) products can only be used for assembling the work, including for binding, bonding and adhering.
  • All entries must be the original work of the exhibitor and created within two years prior to 28 July 2024. Artworks and design objects previously exhibited in other prizes and exhibitions are still eligible.
  • For cultural sensitivity reasons, artworks that contain certain unauthorised use of indigenous symbols, motifs or styles are not eligible.
  • Works that are considered offensive will not be selected. Council reserves the right to refuse to exhibit artwork that does not align to Council’s community values
  • A maximum of two entries may be submitted per person.
Who can apply?
  • All entrants must either live, work, study or play in the City of Ryde.
  • Entrants must be 10 years and older

Council has created educational resources and videos to help you create your entries. There’s also tips on writing an artist statement and photographing your artworks.

Categories and Prizes

View a list of Categories and Prizes

Open Category

Winner $1,500 / Second prize $500
Open to people aged 18 years and over as at 28 July 2024

Youth Category

Winner $750 / Second Prize $250
Open to people aged 14 to 17 years as at 28 July 2024

Junior Category

Winner $300 / Second Prize $150
Open to people aged 10 to 13 years as at 28 July 2024

Schools Participation Award

Primary School Winner $250 / High School Winner $250
Awarded to the primary school and high school with the highest number of entries (maximum two entries per person).

Functional Award

Winner $500 / Second Prize $250
Judged from across all categories. Awarded to the design object which best uses reclaimed waste materials to form a functional piece.

People’s Choice Award

Junior Winner $100 / Youth Winner $100 / Open Winner $100
Open to all applicants who are selected for the exhibition in any category. Audiences will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite artwork or design object in the exhibition.

Important 2024 Dates

View a list of important dates

Date What's Happening
Tuesday 2 April 2024 Applications open
Wednesday 17 April 2024
Sunday 2 June 2024
Wednesday 10 July 2024
Waste to art workshops to help you create your SWAP entries
Sunday 28 July 2024 Applications close
Thursday 1 August - Monday 5 August 2024 Successful exhibiting artists notified and posted on the City of Ryde website

Thursday 8 August - Saturday 10 August 2024

Selected artworks and design objects to be delivered to See Street Gallery
Thursday 5 September 2024 Opening night and awards ceremony at See Street Gallery 6.00pm to 8.00pm
Friday 6 September - Thursday 19 September 2024 Exhibition at See Street Gallery 11.00am to 4.00pm Tuesday to Saturday (closed Sunday to Monday)
Friday 6 September – Sunday 22 September Digital exhibition on City of Ryde website
Friday 20 September - Saturday 21 September 2024 Artworks and design objects to be collected from See Street Gallery
Sunday 22 September 2024 People’s Choice Award voting closes
Wednesday 25 September 2024 People’s Choice Award winners announced

Terms and Conditions

Terms and Conditions

All entries must be the original work of the exhibitor and created within 2 years prior to Sunday 28 July 2024.

EXHIBITION

It is anticipated that around 80 artworks and design objects will be selected for exhibition at See Street Gallery, Meadowbank TAFE from Friday 6 September - Thursday 19 September 2024.

The selected artworks will also be able to be viewed online via a virtual tour on Council’s website from Friday 6 September – Sunday 22 September 2024. Exhibition curator Nick Vickers and the students from the Cert IV Arts Administration course at Meadowbank TAFE will curate and install the exhibition.

All works selected for the exhibition must remain on display in See Street Gallery, Meadowbank TAFE until after the conclusion of the exhibition.

SELECTING AND JUDGING

Artworks and design objects to be exhibited will be selected by the City of Ryde SWAP Project Team based on adherence with the entry criteria, environmental messaging and artistic merit. Artists and designers selected for the exhibition will be notified between Thursday 1 August - Monday 5 August 2024.

The winners of the Open, Youth, Junior and Functional categories will be chosen by a panel of three independent expert judges. The winner of the Schools Participation Award will be determined by the school with the most entries. The winners will be announced at the official opening night and awards ceremony on Thursday 5 September 2024 between 6.00pm and 8.00pm at See Street Gallery, Meadowbank TAFE and published on Council’s website.

The winner of the People’s Choice Award will be determined by the entry with the highest number of votes cast by the public. The winner of this award will be published on Council’s website after the conclusion of the exhibition on Wednesday 25 September 2024.

The City of Ryde reserves the right to change the judges without notification to the entrants.

DELIVERY OF ARTWORKS

Selected works are to be delivered to See Street Gallery, Meadowbank TAFE on Thursday 8 August - Friday 9 August 2024 between 10.00am - 6.00pm, or Saturday 10 August 2024 between 10.00am - 4.00pm.

Two-dimensional work must be ready for hanging with D-rings secured to the back, wire is not accepted. Three-dimensional works that are to hang must have a suitable hook or feature to hang the work from. Plinths will be provided for small artworks, but designers must supply their own mannequins. Works that contain multiple parts must be accompanied by instructions for display.

The position and placement of artworks and design objects within the gallery is at the discretion of the curator.

All queries related to artwork drop off are to be managed by the curator.

DE-INSTALLATION

Artworks and design objects selected for the exhibition must be picked up in person with photo ID or receipt of entry on Friday 20 September - Saturday 21 September 2024 between 10.00am - 6.00pm or Saturday 21 September 2024 between 10.00am - 4.00pm.

Collection of works by other parties requires arrangement with the curator prior to Friday 20 September 2024.

Works that are not collected by Saturday 21 September 2024 may be disposed of.

All queries related to artwork collection are to be managed by the curator.

SALE OF ARTWORKS

Any sales will be made directly between the artist and the buyer. Sold artworks cannot be removed from the exhibition until after it closes on Thursday 19 September 2024. City of Ryde and Meadowbank TAFE do not take any responsibility for facilitating the sale of SWAP artworks.

Artists and designers own the copyright of their work and licence the City of Ryde to use the submitted images and take photographs of the exhibition that can be used for the exhibition catalogue, publicity, press releases and other promotion in print or on the City of Ryde website for the 2024 and future Sustainable Waste 2 Art Prizes.

More Information

All queries regarding the exhibition and the application process can be made to City of Ryde's SWAP Project Coordinator on 9952 8222.

This program is in partnership with TAFE NSW.