The biennial Somerset Bendigo Bank Art Awards is the largest visual arts event staged in the Somerset region and has made a significant impact on the cultural landscape of this region, and South East Queensland in previous years. We are dedicated to organising a high-quality event to promote and support artists and businesses in the Somerset region, and that stimulates and inspires the wider community. Our awards has brought thousands of people together and thousands of visitors to our region who have supported our artists by buying artworks and supported our local economy by staying in accommodation, eating in our restaurants, cafes and pubs, seeking out leisure activities and shopping in the many charming towns throughout our region.

 

After much discussion and negotiation we have made the difficult decision to postpone the 2021 Somerset Bendigo Bank Art Awards to 2022, due to several factors, including the unavailability of appropriate funds necessary to produce a high-quality event of this calibre, and the logistics and restrictions surrounding further possible Covid-19 outbreaks.

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We are pleased to announce the dates for the 2022 Somerset Bendigo Bank Art Awards are as follows: entries will open in February 2022, the Gala Opening Night event on Friday 10 June 2022 and the awards exhibition will run from Saturday 11 June to Sunday 19 June 2022. The categories are painting, works on paper, 3D, photography, and textiles. Full details will be available early in 2022. Please stay tuned for updates on our awards social media pages, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and our awards webpage currently at www.sasiart.com.au/art-awards

 

We thank all the artists, businesses and sponsors who have supported us in the past and look forward to your continued support next year so we can guarantee that 2022 will be the most vibrant and outstanding visual arts event for our region yet.

 

The Somerset and Kilcoy Art Societies have collaborated to work on the art awards moving forward towards 2022. Together we will continue to support and promote artists in the region and will be announcing some new and exciting opportunities for Somerset artists later this year.

 

We wish everyone a safe, prosperous, and creative 2021 and look forward to working with you all in 2022.