Visual Arts in the Valley

Building on the success of 2020, the biennial Visual Arts in the Valley 2022 will be celebrated over the October long-weekend – Friday 30 September through Monday 3 October in Kangaroo Valley, NSW. It will feature multiple visual art prizes and special events over four days at a variety of venues in the Valley.

Our objectives are simple – to assist artists while bringing some of the best contemporary art that matters from around the nation to the Valley and surrounds that speaks about national, regional and local issues.

Our goal – to continue to grow as a national contemporary arts event while retaining local and regional flavour.

Total Prize Money $20,000, donated by local Valley residents, including the signature Kangaroo Valley Art Prize, Tony White Memorial Prize for an Emerging Artist, Salon of Local Artists Prize, plus Highly Commended, Commended, People’s Choice and the popular Packing Room Prize.

Now one of the more valuable suites of contemporary art prizes in Australian contemporary art, in 2020 over 1300 people visited the Kangaroo Valley Community Hall, transformed into a professional art gallery. Entry fees and commissions are kept low to return as much as possible to the artists. In each of our past two biennials, over 30% of artworks were sold ($100,000 in 2020).

Guest Curator for 2022 – Megan Monte, award-winning Australian curator who has just assumed the position of inaugural director and curator of Ngununggula, the National Trust and State Government gallery at Retford Park, NSW. Previously director of Cement Fondu contemporary arts space in Sydney and curator of contemporary art at the Campbelltown Arts Centre.

Special Advisor – Rex Irwin, internationally known art dealer in Sydney since 1976 who has nurtured and enhanced the reputations and careers of many Australian artists. Former director, Rex Irwin Gallery, dealing in contemporary Australian and European art, and former co-director, Olsen Irwin Gallery, Sydney.

Judge​ – June Watters, Director, National Trust of Australia (NSW) Galleries and SH Ervin Gallery since 2001. Has curated numerous gallery and touring exhibitions and judged many art prizes including Portia Geach Memorial Award, NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize, Calleen Art Prize and Gallipoli Art Prize.

Second Judge and Opening Speaker to be announced.

Key Dates:

25 July – Online entries open

18 August – Entries close

5 September – Announcement of finalists

28 September – Deadline for arrival of finalist artworks

30 September – Prize announcements

30 September – 3 October – Exhibitions