Finalists announced for the churchie emerging art prize 2022

The churchie emerging art prize and the Institute of Modern Art have this week announced the 2022 finalists for the annual country-wide prize for emerging artists working in any visual art medium.

From the more than 400 entries received from across Australia, the 12 finalists selected by the pre-selection panel are: Darcey Bella Arnold, Emma Buswell, Jo Chew, Kevin Diallo, Norton Fredericks, Jan Griffiths, Jacquie Meng, Daniel Sherington, Linda Sok, Lillian Whitaker, Agus Wijaya, and Emmaline Zanelli.

This year’s finalists represent a broad cross-section of artistic concerns, with mediums spanning painting, textiles, video, drawing, installation, and more.

Emerging Sri Lankan-Australian curator, art historian and guest exhibition curator Elena Dias-Jayasinha commented: “The calibre of the applications this year was incredibly high. It was difficult selecting only 12 finalists, but I am thrilled by the artists chosen and look forward to working with them.”

The preselection panel consisted of Dias-Jayasinha; Sophia Nampitjinpa Sambono, Associate Curator, Indigenous Australian Art, Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art; ‘the churchie’ Coordinator Sarah Thomson; and ‘the churchie’ Committee member Ben Hugheston-Roberts.

The finalists’ work will be shown at the Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane from 30 July–1 October 2022, in an exhibition widely recognised for identifying and profiling emerging artists on a national stage within a high-quality curated exhibition.

With a prize pool of $25,000, the churchie Major Prize Winner will receive a non-acquisitive $15,000 cash prize (donated by long-standing sponsor BSPN Architecture), selected by guest judge Sebastian Goldspink and announced at the gallery on Friday 2 September.

Goldspink will also award a $5,000 Special Commendation prize (sponsored by Fardoulys Constructions) and two Commendation prizes of $1,000 (sponsored by Madison Cleaning Services).

A People’s Choice Award of $3,000, (also sponsored by Madison Cleaning Services) will be announced at the conclusion of the finalists’ exhibition, and one lucky voter will receive a night away thanks to Spicers Retreats.

Finalists’ Exhibition:

30 July–1 October 2022
Institute of Modern Art

Prize Announcement:

2 September 2022
Institute of Modern Art

Find out more at churchieemergingart.com and ima.org.au.