2 Danks Street Award for Art Criticism

What ever happened to art criticism? The 2 Danks Street Gallery precinct have announced an exciting new initiative targeted at budding arts writers to foster the importance of good writing and constructive criticism.

The ‘2 Danks Street Award for Art Criticism’ is a $1000 award  initiated by the galleries of 2 Danks Street, in conjunction with Artist Profile and the online journal Art for All: All for Art, that will be awarded to an emerging talent in the world of arts writing, who is not currently earning an income from writing. The aim of the prize is to encourage open discussion and to foster new writing on the visual arts in Australia.

The prize will be judged by eminent figures in the art world including historian, writer and curator Candice Bruce, Editor of Artist Profile & Art Almanac magazines Owen Craven, curator, writer and COFA lecturer Pru Gibson, and art critic John McDonald. In addition to the $1000 prize, the recipient will be given the opportunity to contribute writing to the sponsor journals, giving them a substantial foot-in-the-door to arts publishing.

Christopher Hodges, Editor of Art for All: All for Art, and director of Utopia Art Sydney at 2 Danks Street, believes that quality conversation about contemporary art stimulates both artists and collectors. He says, “online sites are doing a great job of letting us know what is on, but there needs to be a richer debate on how an artwork emerges, with the positives and negatives of an artists’ achievements. We need a contrariness of opinion and provocative analysis about what is happening here inSydney, NOW. This is ultimately what connects the art public with art and the artist.”

Owen Craven, Editor of Artist Profile, responded enthusiastically to the prize: “the art world is settling into the new reality of the post GFC world, and Artist Profile wants to keep its finger on the pulse. Our editorial brief sits squarely with contemporary Australian artists and their engagement with aesthetic and meaning. We are constantly looking for new writers who can bring an unexpected perspective to a particular body of work.”

Writers looking to enter this year’s prize should refer to the 2 Danks Street website for details of eligibility and the task, in which entrants will be asked to review exhibitions at 2 Danks Street during June, July or August, including contemporary art jewelry exhibitions.

The closing date for entries is 30 August, 2013. Get on it!

2 Danks Street
Sydney