Finalists & Winners
Check out the finalists and winners for the SALA Awards – and where to find them during the Festival! Most finalists will be announced in July, so that you can make plans to see their work during August (click on each name for more information). Winners are announced at the end of the Festival.
Head to our Awards page for information about applying for the awards, or check out our archive of past winners.
Country Arts Sa Breaking Ground Award
For contemporary visual artists from regional South Australia, supporting them to ‘break new ground’ with a mentorship and support to develop a new body of work for exhibition in a major gallery space in metropolitan Adelaide in the 2023 SALA Festival.
South Australian artist Gail Hocking has been announced as the recipient of the 2022 Country Arts SA Breaking Ground Award!
Gail will use the award to experiment with large scale installation, with guidance from mentor, Janet Laurence. The Breaking Ground outcome will be presented as a major solo exhibition at praxis ARTSPACE during the 2023 SALA Festival.
image: Gail Hocking, ‘A precarious resilience’ (installation detail), 2018. Found eucalyptus branch, muslin, black cement, porcelain slip, blended soy wax with artist’s skin imprint, hairnets. Dimensions variable. Photograph by Grant Hancock
The City of Adelaide Incubator Award
This award recognises an artist whose work explores and/or celebrates the experience of the City.
These artists are celebrated for the moving-image work Impressive and Vibrant Fantasy Buffet: 5 essential rules to help achieve an Auguste Rodin torso in under two months, exhibited at the Art Gallery of South Australia.
UnitCare Services Digital Media Award
To encourage experimentation in new media
Emmaline Zanelli, Kurt Bosecke, and Eloise Holoubek are celebrated for the moving-image work Impressive and Vibrant Fantasy Buffet: 5 essential rules to help achieve an Auguste Rodin torso in under two months, exhibited at the Art Gallery of South Australia. This digital work brought a smile to our judges’ faces and elicited the kind of giggle I think we often aren’t sure you’re meant to let out in such a grand institution.
The Advertiser Contemporary Art Award
For the most outstanding work in any medium in SALA Festival 2022.
Deborah Prior is recognised for her textile, installation and performance work in On the Third Day at JamFactory Seppeltsfield.
This exhibition formed an ongoing reflection of body fragility within fragile landscapes; and included a performative aspect as Prior would be placed in the gallery space, meticulously knitting, stitching, and unpicking threads to address the deeply anxious state of attempting to live well on an un-well planet.
City Rural Emerging Artist Award
For artists in the early stages of their career with under five years’ professional experience.
Anna Révész is awarded for her work in Divine Machina at praxis Artspace, where she used photography and installation to explore concerns around out future in a world with Artificial Intelligence.
Inspiring SA Award
For artists whose work explores/engages with science or scientific issues.
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.
Saxon‘s exhibition Fault Lines Furniture presented functional and aesthetic furniture, at North Street Studio in Norwood. The judges were impressed with the level of detail, technique and strong artisan-ness of the work, which explored the concept of ‘fault lines’, in relation to both nature and to life.
The City of Onkaparinga Contemporary Curator Award
For contemporary curators, to foster and support curatorial practice within the City of Onkaparinga. The award is open to emergent or established curators.
Sarah Northcott is recognised for the exhibition Nature and Consciousness which she curated at The Main Gallery on Halifax St. The exhibition considered consciousness as an inherent quality in all matter (plants, fungi, bacteria, molecules) and featured the work of Susan Bruce, Fran Callen, Maarten Daudeij, John Foubister, Sue Michael, Sonali Patel, Lee Salamone, and Deb Sleeman.
Part of the prize is to curate an exhibition at Sauerbier House for SALA Festival 2023, so be sure to keep an eye out!
Don Dunstan Foundation Award
For artists whose work explores social justice themes which align with the objectives and priorities of the Don Dunstan Foundation.
Allison presented Skin Shade Night Day, her first major solo exhibition, at Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. The installation & moving image work explored the daily routine and rituals practised by the artist’s Cambodian-Australian family.
Informed by a trip that Chhorn and her mother undertook in 2021, where they visited a family friend’s property in Darwin, the shade house captured Chhorn’s imagination and sense of responsibility to provide security for her parents, particularly as a daughter of migrant refugees. Upon her return, Chhorn sought a piece of land for her father to build a real shade house, which she then replicated and rebuilt as a multi-screen, immersive cinematic installation.
As the daughter and granddaughter of Cambodian migrants, Chhorn’s work explores the personal and familial ricochets of the Khmer Rouge – a brutal political regime, from 1975-79, that claimed the lives of nearly two million Cambodians.
SALA Solo Photographic Opportunity
For an artist exhibiting photographic work in SALA Festival 2022, to support them in presenting a solo photographic exhibition of new work in the following year (SALA Festival 2023).
The judges were impressed with David‘s painted photographs and look forward to seeing what he will achieve with the resources of this opportunity behind him and a dedicated space to elevate his work in 2023.
Hither & Yon Venue Awards
For venues who have exceeded expectations in supporting artists exhibiting during SALA Festival.
“The Burra Regional Art Gallery (BRAG) was a clear choice amongst the judges for the SALA Hither & Yon venue award 2022. The exhibition brought together eight regional artists from all over SA, and BRAG managed the twelve month planning, curating, logistics, installation, promotion process with amazing support and personal guidance for the artists. There was creativity too, with augmented reality animation, and really passionate leadership, committee and volunteer work. BRAG showed us all of the things we love about SALA, particularly showcasing emerging artists to the communities of South Australia. Thank you to all applicants, there was so many good venues this year, well done SALA, we are very proud partners.”
– Malcolm Leask, Hither & Yon
The Helpmann Academy SALA Award
Valued at $1,000 cash and in-kind. Awarded to an artist exhibiting in the 2022 Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition who will benefit from exhibiting their work at SALA, the SALA Award provides premium registration for the 2022 SALA Festival.
Ceramic artist Ashleigh Keller was presented with the SALA Award by CEO Kate Moskwa at the Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition in February 2022. Check out her exhibition Bloom at Co Gallery as part of SALA Festival 2022.
Images: Ashleigh Keller, ‘I’m waiting for the wind to blow’, photo Sam Roberts | Kate Moskwa and Ashleigh Keller at the 2022 Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition, photo Russell Millard
Credit Union SA School Awards
To support and celebrate visual art in schools.
‘Berri Brushstrokes’ (on campus)
An excellent SALA Festival debut with a variety of artwork on show, different modes of display, and the painting demonstrations by students on opening night were a fantastic touch.
‘Yellow and Blue’ at Ingle Farm Shopping Centre
It was fantastic to see students involved at all stages of putting on this exhibition and being hands-on for the installation process. A variety of artwork styles were presented, allowing individuality to shine through the work. Another excellent SALA Festival debut.
‘Science in Art – Invisible Worlds’ (on campus)
This comprehensive and interactive on-campus exhibition encompassed a breadth of styles and involved thinking beyond the execution of artwork to audience interaction. Congratulations to all students involved on the invisible worlds discovered – real, imagined, microscopic or otherwise!
‘Art on Show’ Armada Arndale Shopping Centre
The diverse and skilful outcomes in this exhibition were impressive – even when responding to common subject matter there was such variety and individuality in how students responded. Congratulations on a well-received exhibition and great use of a local space.
‘Seasonal Scenes’ (on campus)
The seasonal theme made for a cohesive exhibition with a breadth of engagement across year levels, and fostering student pride in an outcome with an impact more than the sum of its parts.
‘Art at Urrbrae Agricultural High School Barn Market’ (on campus)
A fantastic display of high quality artwork, and the channeling of established artists in the elevating of ordinary scenes on campus was a delight.
Apply for the Awards
Past Winners
Banner image: CEO Kate Moskwa on stage at the 2019 SALA Finissage event, photo Jack Fenby.
