Winners & Outcomes
Check out the projects and outcomes from our award winners and opportunity recipients!
Hither & Yon Venue Award
For venues who have exceeded expectations in supporting artists exhibiting during SALA Festival.
The winner of the 2024 Hither & Yon Award is Karoonda Silos!
“The judging panel was impressed by how 31 South Australian artists were supported to be involved in Karoonda Silos – Think Big, a unique opportunity to have their artwork showcased at large scale by projection onto grain silos. The exhibition was free and accessible every night throughout August, widely promoted by digital and print media, providing consistent exposure to a diverse audience. The artists not only had their work highlighted on a glowing rural canvas, but also had the option to display and sell pieces of their work through the district council office – the best of both worlds.
The panel felt strongly that the venue exceeded expectations by going over and above for the artists, which is the key principle of the Hither & Yon award. The exhibition yielded increased tourism to the area and support to the local economy, and also fostered meaningful connections across regions and industries. This considered and layered approach we also felt met the SALA purpose of engaging with communities in a vibrant and valued way, well done Karoonda Silos – Think Big.
The judging panel wishes to thank all entrants in the Hither & Yon venue award for 2024 – judging was a difficult but enjoyable process, we look forward to it again in 2025.”
– Malcolm Leask, Hither & Yon
The Advertiser Contemporary Art Award
For the most outstanding work in any medium in SALA Festival 2024. The finalists will feature in a dedicated finalist exhibition at Keith Murdoch House in Adelaide.
OAKEY’s freestanding sculpture ‘Portal’ held a quiet resonance in the foyer of Keith Murdoch House and was the unanimous winner from a strong and varied finalist exhibition.
The City of Adelaide Award
This award recognises an artist whose work explores and/or celebrates the experience of the City.
Alyssa is recognised for the work in her first solo exhibition, Halo-Halo, which speaks to the diverse community of the City of Adelaide. The judges were impressed with Alyssa’s ability to make bridges across culture through her work and look forward to watching her practice grow.
UnitCare Services Digital Media Award
To encourage experimentation in new media
In her project If Fabrics Could Speak, Catherine uses video in a documentary style to explore community stories around textiles. The judges were impressed by how her approach collapses distance between audience and material; elevating the medium and expanding the audience’s appreciation for the cultural, historical, ancestral, and collaborative importance of the medium.
City Rural Emerging Artist Award
For artists in the early stages of their career with under five years’ professional experience.
The judges were impressed with the strong conceptual foundation of Eliana’s work and the material skill with which it was resolved. There was a strong sense of forward momentum that strongly aligned with the goals of this award.
Inspiring SA Science in Art Award
For artists whose work explores/engages with science or scientific issues.
The judges were impressed with Victor’s calming and highly-resolved work exhibited in Propagation of Energy in a Fluid Medium at Collective Haunt Gallery. He translated the science of wave motion into a mesmerizing kinetic sculpture, ‘Whispers of the Deep’. This sculpture embodied the ocean’s gentle rise & fall, making the fundamental physics of waves accessible and engaging for all.
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.
- Chosen from a high quality selection of applicants and finalists, the judges were impressed with Peter’s level of technique and ability to draw the viewer’s eye in to the main subjects. The strong use of colours, depth of field and attention to detail within the work enhanced the deeply personal and emotive content of the artwork.
Don Dunstan Foundation Award
For artists whose work explores social justice themes which align with the objectives and priorities of the Don Dunstan Foundation.
Mia uses traditional Chinese ink painting techniques and materials to explore themes such as migration, heritage, and identity. Through her delicate portrait of Dr Joanne Buckskin on rice paper scroll, Mia sought to celebrate Dr Buckskin’s educational spirit and rich cultural heritage, and ultimately embodied the values of the Don Dunstan Foundation.
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 2025 SALA Festival.
The recipient of the 2025 Country Arts SA Breaking Ground Award is regional artist Susie Althorp. Susie will receive $10,000 to develop a body of work for a solo exhibition at Praxis Artspace during the 2025 SALA Festival. Living in Wallaroo Mines on the Yorke Peninsula, Susie works across the mediums of ceramics, sculpture and installation. She will be mentored by her nominated mentor, artist Catherine Truman, as part of the award prize.
SALA Solo Photographic Opportunity
For an artist exhibiting photographic work in SALA Festival 2024, to support them in presenting a solo photographic exhibition of new work in the following year (SALA Festival 2025).
The panel were impressed with Tony’s proposed exhibition, a new series of photographic portraits of South Australian artists, and look forward to supporting Tony to realise this vision and show the resulting work at Praxis Artspace in next year’s SALA Festival.
Guildhouse Artist's Choice Award
Artists of any medium, age, or skill level are invited to vote for the SALA Award finalist whose artwork impressed them the most during the 2024 SALA Festival.
A total of 466 votes were cast in this new Award. The inaugural winner of the Guildhouse Artists’s Choice Award is Claire Foord.
Claire is recognised for her abstract paintings which are a direct response to how she experiences kaleidoscopic auras as a result of damage to the occipital lobe in her brain. “In a flash our brains calculate depth, colour, objects, movements…but what happens when your brain is forced to see things from a new perspective?
City of Onkaparinga SALA Artist Residency
As the 2024 City of Onkaparinga SALA Artists in Residence, Laura Wills & Jackie Saunders will occupy a studio at Sauerbier House in August 2024, culminating in an exhibition in September. We look forward to visiting their studio during SALA Festival and finding out what has emerged as their collaborative focus throughout their residency.
Arts in Health at FMC Artist Residency
The SALA Arts in Health at Flinders Medical Centre
residency gives a practicing South Australian artist
the opportunity to immerse themselves in the hospital
environment, and respond to this experience in their
work. This residency will culminate in an exhibition in
the hospital during SALA Festival.
As the 2024 SALA artist in residence, Dr Daniel Connell will be focusing his distinctly sensitive and deep understanding within the palliative care units at the hospital, exploring the theme of ‘Humanity in Living and Dying’ through spending time with staff, patients, and families.
Be sure to visit the resulting exhibition Humanity in Living and Dying at Flinders Medical Centre during SALA Festival 2024.
Apply for the Awards
Past Winners
Banner image: Kate Kurucz, Haza (still), 2023, single channel video
