The Basil Sellers Art Prize is a long-term project, with

biennial Biennial means (an event) lasting for two years or occurring every two years. The related term biennium is used in reference to a period of two years. In particular, it can refer to: * Biennial plant, a plant which blooms in its second year and t ...

awards. For many years the exhibition tours were a collaboration of the

Ian Potter Museum of Art The Potter Museum of Art at the University of Melbourne in Melbourne, Australia was established in 1972. The Potter, as it is known locally, presents a curated exhibition program of historical and contemporary art. Through its activities the Pot ...

, the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...

, and NETS Victoria (National Exhibition Touring Support Victoria). There awards were originally created to help change

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Aus ...

's perception and enjoyment of art and sport, but as of 2025, the prize does not include a sporting theme and is open to artists from across Australia.

History

The Basil Sellers Art Prize encouraged a dynamic and critical reflection on all forms of sport and sporting culture in Australia. Sport has been a recurring theme in Australian art. For contemporary artists today, sport touches upon anything from everyday life through to globalisation, from the concrete experience of a game through to abstract notions like cheating and fair play. Sport is about winners and losers, individuals and teams, rules and penalties, equipment and architecture, fans and souvenirs, triumphs and scandals. The Basil Sellers Art Prize was supported by Basil Sellers AM and aimed to encourage contemporary artists to develop their practice, to engage with the many themes within sport past and present, and to contribute to critical reflection on all forms of sport and sporting culture in Australia. From 2008 to 2016, the biennial award and exhibition of finalists ran out of the

, presenting sculpture, painting, photography and drawing by contemporary Australian artists offering $100,000 for a single outstanding work of art. In 2018, two additional prizes, sponsored by

Eurobodalla Shire Council Eurobodalla Shire is a local government area located in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire is located in a largely mountainous coastal region and situated adjacent to the ''Tasman Sea'', the Princes Highway and the ...

, were added to the awards. The Eurobodalla Prize ($5,000) and a people’s choice award ($500). In 2019, a purpose built exhibition space, The Basil Sellers Exhibition Centre, nicknamed 'The Bas', was built in

Moruya Moruya ( ) is a town located on the South Coast (New South Wales), far south coast of New South Wales, Australia, situated on the Moruya River. The Princes Highway runs through the town that is about south of Sydney and from Canberra. At the , ...

, New South Wales and now houses the exhibition works. As of 2025, there is a prize pool of over for winning artists, with an additional acquisitive award. The prize no longer requires artists to submit work with a sporting theme.

Selected winners

* 2022 - Michael Thomson, ''An Encounter on the Path that Leads to the River'' * 2020 - Peter Matthew Yates, ''Connection'' * 2018 - Anh Nguyen, ''Jamboree Mornings'' * 2016 - Merryn Sommerville, ''Ghosts I’ve met'' * 2014 - Susan Chancellor, ''The family lounge'' * 2012 - Frances Luke, ''Mossy Point Headland 1'' * 2010 - Stan Squires, ''Pambula river mouth'' * 2008 - Kerry Johns, ''Lilli Pilli'' * 2006 - Jennifer Hawkins, ''…and on that day they shall rise up…'' * 2004 - Sue Christie, ''Life chaos and everything''

2018 exhibition touring schedule

"Play on: The art of sport / 10 years of the Basil Sellers Art Prize" *Hazelhurst Regional Gallery and Arts Centre, NSW :9 Dec 2017 – 11 Feb 2018 *Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, VIC :2 Mar – 29 Apr 2018 *Devonport Regional Gallery, TAS :7 Jul – 19 Aug 2018 *UQ Art Museum, QLD :24 Nov 2018 – 3 Feb 2019 *Bunbury Regional Art Galleries, WA :8 Mar – 5 May 2019 *Riddoch Art Gallery, SA :24 May – 2 Aug 2019 *Western Plains Cultural Centre, NSW :31 Aug – 3 Nov 2019

References

University of Melbourne {{Melbourne-stub

History

Selected winners

2018 exhibition touring schedule

See also

References