SALA Awards & Opportunities
Each year we recognise South Australian artists, and the venues that support them, in the SALA Awards.
All awards in 2023 are open exclusively to registered SALA Festival participants and free to enter! Check out each award listing for details and further eligibility criteria. There is also an opportunity that SALA artists working with photography can apply for.
To see recent award announcements, head to Finalists & Winners, or check out our archive of winners from past years.
APPLYING FOR A SALA AWARD or Opportunity
Applications for most of the 2023 SALA Awards & Opportunities are open from 1 March – 17 May, midnight.*
Apply by submitting a nomination form within the SALA Online Portal.
*SALA staff will be available to support registrations and applications up until 5pm, same day.
City of Adelaide Incubator Award
The City of Adelaide Incubator Award recognises an artist whose work explores and/or celebrates the experience of the City. The award welcomes work that reflects Adelaide’s Dynamic City Culture, a city that celebrates diverse community, culture, and creativity. Artwork that connects to Adelaide’s identity as a cultural centre for playful, thought provoking, and world class art experiences will be preferred.
This award is open to artists at any stage of their career, working in any medium, whose work explores and/or celebrates the experience of the City, and who are taking part in a SALA exhibition within the City of Adelaide in 2023.
Prize: $7,000 + winner required to participate in one public program (artist talk, in-conversation, etc) with the City of Adelaide in 2024, sharing with the community their creative practice and how it has evolved as a result of the award.
Nominations open: 1 March – 17 May 2023
Artists who are taking part in SALA 2023 with an event taking place in the City of Adelaide may nominate for this award.
Nominations for this award can be made via the SALA Online Portal.
The nomination form will require:
- Up to 4 images of your artwork (max size 10MB)
+ optional link to your artwork if it’s in a digital or moving image format. - CV (max size 10MB)
- Brief statement that explains your work’s connection to the City and proposing how you intend to use the award to develop, extend and amplify your practice (max 200wds).
You will receive a confirmation email after you submit your award nomination. If you do not receive one, please get in touch with SALA Festival to ensure that your award nomination submitted correctly.
- 1 March – Award opens for nominations
- 10 May – Festival registrations close
- 17 May – Award nominations close
- Late July – finalists announced
- August – judging occurs during the Festival
- September – winner announced
- 2024 – winner gives artist talk
Finalists will be determined by a panel of judges based on the award nomination forms submitted and announced in July 2023. The winner will be determined during the Festival and announced at the conclusion of SALA 2023.
Unitcare Services Digital Media Award
This award seeks to encourage experimentation in new media and is for artists working in digital art including computer, moving image, virtual, interactive, sound, and internet platforms.
Prize: $5,000 cash.
Nominations open: 1 March – 17 May 2023
Artists who are registered in the 2023 SALA Festival with work that is considered ‘digital media’ may nominate for this award.
This may include (but is not limited to):
- computer art
- moving image
- virtual art
- augmented reality art
- interactive art
- sound art
- artwork presented online
To enter log in to the SALA Online Portal.
The award nomination form will ask for
- a brief statement about your work (max 100 words)
- a link to your digital work (or preview of)
You will receive a confirmation email after you submit your award nomination. If you do not receive one, please get in touch with SALA Festival to ensure that your award nomination submitted correctly.
- 1 March – Award opens for nominations
- 10 May – Festival registrations close
- 17 May – Award nominations close
- Late July – finalists announced
- August – judging occurs during the Festival
- September – winner announced
Judging: Finalists will be determined (and announced) prior to the Festival based on the work supplied in the nomination form. Judging of the finalist artwork will take place during SALA 2023 and the winner will be announced at the conclusion of the SALA 2023.
The Advertiser Contemporary Art Award
For the most outstanding contemporary work in any medium in 2023.
Finalists will be selected to exhibit their submitted artwork in the foyer at Keith Murdoch House (Adelaide) from July- end of August as part of the SALA Festival.
Prize: $5,000
Nominations open: 1 March – 17 May 2023
Artists who are registered in the 2023 SALA Festival may nominate for this award. Only artworks that will be available for display in Adelaide as part of a finalist exhibition from July-August may be nominated.
To enter, complete an award nomination form via the SALA Online Portal.
Nominate one artwork that that has been created since August 2022. Provide at least 1 image of this work (option to upload a second image for alternative view or closeup) and a statement about the work.
The form will ask for:
- Artist (nominee) details
- Registration ID number of a 2023 SALA exhibition that the artist is participating in.
- Contact details
- Artist website or Instagram account (optional)
- A statement about the artwork (max 100 words)
- Image of the artwork (1-2 images, max 10mb each)
- Artwork title
- Medium
- Year
- Dimensions
- 1 March – Award opens for nominations.
- 10 May – Festival registrations close.
- 17 May – Award nominations close (midnight).
- May/June – Judges determine finalists.
- June/July – finalists contacted to organise finalist exhibition.
- July – finalists announced.
- July – finalist exhibition is installed and opens.
- August – winner judging occurs during the Festival.
- September – winner announced.
- September – finalist exhibition is deinstalled.
Judging: Finalists will be determined prior to the Festival by panel of judges based on the award nomination forms.
The finalists will be contacted in May/June to begin organising the finalist exhibition.
Judging of the award winner will take place during the 2023 SALA Festival. The winner will be announced at the conclusion of the Festival.
City Rural Emerging Artist Award
For artists in the early stages of their career with under five years’ professional experience.
Prize: $2,500 cash.
Nominations open: 1 March – 17 May 2023
Artists who are registered in the 2023 SALA Festival with under 5 years’ professional experience (as an artist) may nominate for this award.
To enter, complete an award nomination form via the SALA Online Portal.
Here you will be asked to provide:
- Up 1-2 images of your work to be exhibited. These can be 2 separate works or alternative views of the one artwork (eg, full length + closeup). They must be exhibited in SALA Festival 2023 for judging purposes and need to have been completed/resolved since August 2022.
- A statement about your work and background as an artist. (max 100 words)
- Explain where you plan to take your art practice in the next 5 years (max 100 words)
- Artist biography (max 100 words)
You will receive a confirmation email after you submit your award nomination. If you do not receive one, please get in touch with SALA Festival to ensure that your award nomination submitted correctly.
- 1 March – Award opens for nominations
- 10 May – Festival registrations close
- 17 May – Award nominations close (midnight)
- Late July – finalists announced
- August – judging occurs during the Festival
- September – winner announced
Judging: Finalists will be determined from the nomination forms and announced in July. Judging of finalist artworks will take place during the 2023 SALA Festival and the winner will be announced at the conclusion of the Festival.
Inspiring SA Science in Art Award
For artists whose work explores/engages with science, technology, engineering, maths or medicine (STEMM), or STEMM-related issues.
Prize: $2,500 cash
Nominations open: 1 March – 17 May 2023
Artists who are registered in the 2023 SALA Festival may nominate for this award.
To enter, you will need to log in to the SALA Online Portal, or make a free account.
Once you are logged in, you should look for the Inspiring SA Award and create a new nomination form.
The nomination form will ask you to upload:
- 1-2 images of a single artwork
- a statement about your specific artwork (maximum 100 words)
- artist biography / general statement about your practice (maximum 100 words)
You can download a preview of the form [PDF] for more information about what is required.
Ensure that you ‘submit’ this form before the deadline. If you do not receive a confirmation email after submission, please contact SALA Festival (phone: 7077 0011 / email: [email protected])
- 1 March – Award opens for nominations
- 10 May – Festival registrations close
- 17 May (midnight) – Award nominations close
- Late July – finalists announced
- August – judging occurs during the Festival
- September – winner announced
Judging: Finalists will be chosen based on the images uploaded and will be announced in July. Judging of the award will take place during the 2023 SALA Festival and the winner will be announced at the conclusion of the Festival.
City of Unley Active Ageing award
For artists over the age of 60 to celebrate the City of Unley’s involvement with SALA and its commitment to promoting and supporting an active ageing approach. Both traditional and contemporary artworks are encouraged.
Prize: $2,000 cash and an exhibition space in Unley at Hughes Gallery for SALA 2024.
Nominations open: 1 March – 17 May 2023
Artists who are registered in the 2023 SALA Festival and are aged 60 years or over on Wednesday, 17 May 2023 may nominate for this award. By making a submission to this award, the artist agrees that if they are chosen as the winner, they will exhibit at Hughes Gallery in SALA 2024.
To enter, you will need to log in to the SALA Online Portal, or make a free account.
Once you are logged in, you should look for the City of Unley Active Ageing Award and create a new nomination form.
The nomination form will ask you to upload:
- 1-2 images of a single artwork
- a statement about your work (maximum 100 words)
Ensure that you ‘submit’ this form before the deadline. If you do not receive a confirmation email after submission, please contact SALA Festival (phone: 7077 0011 / email: [email protected])
- 1 March – Award opens for nominations
- 10 May – Festival registrations close
- 17 May (midnight) – Award nominations close
- Late July – finalists announced
- August – judging occurs during the Festival
- September – winner announced
Note: this award carries an expectation that the winner will exhibit at Hughes Gallery in SALA 2024.
Judging: Finalists will be chosen based on the images uploaded and will be announced in July. Judging of the award will take place during the 2023 SALA Festival and the winner will be announced at the conclusion of the Festival.
Don Dunstan Foundation Award
For artists whose work explores social justice themes which align with the objectives and priorities of the Don Dunstan Foundation including homelessness; mental health; migration (including cultural and ethnic diversity); economic equality and justice; Aboriginal economic empowerment and reconciliation; human rights; or Don Dunstan himself.
Prize: $1,000 cash.
Nominations open: 1 March – 17 May 2023
Artists who are registered in the 2023 SALA Festival may nominate for this award.
To enter, complete an award nomination form via the SALA Online Portal.
The nomination form requires you to provide:
- at least 1 image of one of your artworks, with the option to provide a second image of the same artwork (perhaps a closeup or alternative view)
- a brief artist biography (max 100 words)
- a written outline of how your work relates to the themes of the Don Dunstan Foundation (max 100 words)
To help you prepare to nominate, see the preview of the award form.
- 1 March – award opens for nominations
- 10 May – SALA registrations close
- 17 May (midnight) – award nominations close
- Late July – finalists announced
- August – judges visit finalist exhibitions
- September – winner announced
Hither & Yon Venue Award
For a venue, including online, that has exceeded expectations in supporting artists exhibiting during SALA Festival 2023. This can be in areas such as installation support, promotion of the artist, community engagement, visitor experience, and more.
Prize: $1,000.
Nominations open: 1 – 31 August 2023
To enter, nominees must complete an award nomination form via the SALA Online Portal.
The form asks for:
- supporting images (max 10mb)
- statement explaining how the venue has gone above and beyond this SALA Festival in supporting the exhibiting artist/s.
- Contact details for your exhibiting artist (in the capacity of referee for your nomination)
You will receive a confirmation email after you submit your award nomination. If you do not receive one, please get in touch with SALA Festival to ensure that your award nomination submitted correctly.
Venues that have hosted the work of a South Australian artist as part of the 2023 SALA Festival are eligible to nominate/be nominated for this award.
Nominations can be from artists or self-nominations from venues.
Judging of the award will take place at the conclusion of SALA Festival 2023 with the winner announced shortly after.
1 March – SALA Festival registrations open
19 April – Earlybird pricing ends
10 May – SALA Festival registrations close
1-31 August – SALA Festival
1-31 August – Hither & Yon Venue Award nominations open.
September – Winner announced
SALA Solo Photographic Opportunity
For an artist exhibiting photographic work in SALA Festival 2023, to support them in presenting a solo photographic exhibition of new work in the following year as part of the 2024 SALA Festival.
Prize: a supported solo exhibition in SALA 2024
- Printing of artwork at Atkins Lab & consulting with Paul Atkins (valued at $5,500)
- Mentorship from Gavin Blake (Director of the Centre for Creative Photography) (valued at $3,500)
- Exhibition space at praxis ARTSPACE for SALA Festival 2024 (August 2024) & curatorial assistance from Patty Chehade (valued at $3,500)
- Premium registration in SALA Festival 2024 (valued at $540)
Nominations open: 1 March – 17 May 2023
To apply for this opportunity artists are asked to complete a nomination form via the SALA Online Portal.
Artists who are presenting photographic work as part of an exhibition registered in the 2023 SALA Festival may nominate for this opportunity. Nominees must be willing and able to exhibit new work in August 2024.
- 1 March – nominations open
- 10 May – Festival registrations close
- 17 May – nominations close
- September – winner announced
- September onwards – winner utilises mentorship and resources as part of prize to develop body of work for exhibition
- Aug 2024 – winner’s solo exhibition as part of SALA Festival.
Click through to our Opportunities page for FAQs and more information, including a preview of the application form and Terms & Conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click the ‘+’ symbol to expand and see the answer.
Most awards open Wednesday, 1 March 2023 and close Wednesday, 17 May 2023. Check each award listing for the specific dates.
Once you have registered an exhibition or event in SALA 2023, head to the SALA Online Portal to submit an award nomination form.
Artists, curators and venues that are participating in a registered SALA exhibition/event are encouraged to self-nominate for the SALA Awards. Each award has different criteria and some result in an opportunity so it’s important to read up on each award before nominating.
Nominations will be accepted from someone representing the nominee (a curator, support worker, or friend) who can fill out the form on their behalf. It is imperative that you check with the person before nominating them for an award that carries a resulting opportunity (eg, an exhibition the following year) to ensure that they consent to being nominated and are capable of following through with any associated opportunities.
For most of the SALA Awards, the first round of judging is based on the nomination form and yields a selection of finalists. All applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application via the email address provided in the form.
The next round of judging is based on real-life visits to finalists’ exhibitions where possible. Judges will visit the exhibition that corresponds to the registration ID number provided in the nomination form, so it is important that nominees in multiple exhibitions pay careful attention to which registration ID they provide.
Most award winners are announced at the conclusion of the Festival.
The registration ID number that you provide in the award nomination form will determine which exhibition the judges will visit if you are a finalist. Please provide the registration ID number that corresponds with the exhibition containing the artwork referred to in your award nomination form.
Unless specified otherwise, the images that you upload into the award nomination form should be of one artwork. One image should be of the whole artwork, and any other images can show close-up details, texture, or alternative angles of the work.
Yes, if you nominate an artwork for an award, it needs to be displayed in your SALA exhibition in the same year. The Advertiser Contemporary Art Award is an exception.
The artwork that you submit in the award nomination form should be made since the last SALA Festival (August 2022). If your exhibition contains a mix of old and new work, only the new work can be submitted in the awards.
We reccommend that you start a draft of your Award nomination form, and wait until closer to the deadline to actually submit it. This may allow you more time to develop the work and get an image of it for the form.
Previous finalists have been selected based on material that was indicative of an artwork that wasn’t finished at the time of submission (but was completed for the exhibition in August).
Most of the SALA Awards aim to recognise excellence in an individual artwork.
If an artwork is created by two or more artists working in collaboration, that artwork is eligible for the SALA Awards. However, a group of artists creating individual works for a group exhibition will need to nominate their works individually for the SALA Awards.
Curators of group exhibitions are encouraged to nominate for the City of Onkaparinga Contemporary Curator Award (as are curators of solo exhibitions).
Judging visits are not disclosed to nominees, so it is imperative that any changes to exhibition opening times are communicated with the SALA team via phone or email as soon as you become aware of them. Judging cannot be guaranteed when details of the registration change.
An artist biography can be described as a resume in paragraph form. It details things like relevant study and your top achievements. These are usually written in third-person (eg. “The artist was born in Adelaide”) but will be accepted in first-person (eg. “I was born in Adelaide”) unless stipulated otherwise.
Things you can include:
- relevant study, degrees, qualifications, or noting if the artist is self-taught
- achievements, awards (won or shortlisted for), mentorships (formal or informal), residencies, studios or collectives you may be part of
- if you do not have much experience, you may supplement the above with:
- your influences (other artists)
- what motivates or inspires your work (persons, events, experiences, politics). Usually an artist’s inspiration is saved for an artist statement, but if a statement is not also requested, it is acceptable to include this information in the artist biography (word-count permitting).
An artist statement usually touches on themes, influences, concepts, materials, and processes in your art. It may be written in first or third person.
Broadly speaking, an artist statement can be about your practice in general, or it can relate to a specific artwork. In the context of the SALA Awards, you may want cover both, depending on the word count and what is most important or the judges to know (this may be different for each artist).
For a shorter word count, focus on succinctly conveying the most important things for the judges to know about the artwork in the context of that award. If an award is tied to a theme, ensure that the connection to the theme is conveyed in your statement. For example, an artwork submitted to the Inspiring SA Art in Science Award may not have an obvious tie to science at first glance, but the artist can use their statement to explain the connection (eg. perhaps there is a significant link to science in their process of making).
There are free online tools that you can use to reduce the size of your jpg file (like this one).
If you are using a program such as Photoshop (or equivalent) there is often a Save for Web option that use can use to reduce the file size.
Most of our award forms have a limit of 10MB (10,000kb) per image file.
Jpeg (.jpg) is the most common image format. We recommend that you use this filetype when submitting for the awards (unless asked otherwise) as it will be more likely to save at a reasonable size that our system can handle.
PNG (.png) is a high quality image format but can be higher than is necessary for images that are only going to be viewed on a screen.
TIFF (.tif) is a filetype that will not be accepted by our system. This filetype is meant for files that you are not finished working on, and holds on to all possible data in case you need it in the editing process (meaning that the file is quite big). Try exporting a jpeg from your TIFF file and save them as two separate things.
Please check out our resource dedicated to photographing your work.
You might also consider contracting a photographer to take high quality images of your work.
Header image by David Hume, winner of the 2022 SALA Solo Photographic Opportunity
