DVA Art Competition

ORIGIN OF THE DVA ART COMPETITION
ELIGIBILITY
PRIZES
LOU WHITE
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
SELECTION PROCESS
THEME
JUDGE
ENTRY FEE
HOW TO ENTER

ORIGIN OF THE DVA ART COMPETITION

This year marks the 90th Anniversary of the Repatriation Commission.

Through the Second World War and subsequent wars and conflicts, Australia’s repatriation system has evolved to meet the needs of servicemen and women and their families. The 90th Anniversary celebrations recognise the staff who have worked to support the Commission over the years.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs has organised an array of exciting events to mark this milestone.

The DVA Art Competition is one of these events. It is a fundraising initiative with all proceeds going to the Kokoda Track Foundation. The Kokoda Track Foundation was established in recognition of assistance given to Australian veterans during World War II by the people of Papua New Guinea.

ELIGIBILITY

The following persons are invited to enter the DVA Art Competition

Australian and Commonwealth veterans, war widows and widowers;
serving and former defence force members;
eligible Australian Federal Police members with overseas service;
their dependants and carers; and
current Department of Veterans’ Affairs staff members

PRIZES

First prize (Lou White Art Prize)	$1,000
Second prize	$500
Third prize	$250
The Commission’s Award	12 months membership to your nearest State or Territory art gallery

LOU WHITE ART PRIZE

picture of Lou White, World War II veteran from Victoria who served in P.N.G.

The Lou White Art Prize is named in honour of Lou White, who was a World War II veteran from Victoria who served in Papua New Guinea. He trained as an artist and he believed in the significant contribution of art to the physical, mental and social wellbeing of veterans. Lou White was also a strong supporter of the DVA Story Writing and Art Competition in Victoria.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The competition opens on Monday 23 June 2008 and closes on Friday 31 October 2008 (the competition has been extended from Friday 19 September 2008). Entry forms, payment and photos must be received by 5.00pm on Friday 31 October 2008.
There is one open category, with first (Lou White Art Prize), second and third prizes. The Repatriation Commission will also present the ‘Commission’s Award’.
Entrants are to submit one piece of artwork only.
Entrants are invited to submit an entry in any of the following media: drawing, print, painting and oils.
The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. The competition will be judged by an independent judge with the exception of the Commission’s Award which will be judged by members of the Repatriation Commission.
All care will be taken but no responsibility is accepted for damage, theft or other mishaps.
The entrant warrants that the work is the original work and has not been the recipient of a major prize before.
Participants in the DVA Victorian Story Writing and Art Competition are also encouraged to enter, however the work of art submitted must be different to their entry in the 2008 DVA Victorian Story Writing and Art Competition.
The maximum size of the artwork is limited to 150cm (h) x 150cm (w).
Entrants must submit a 4”x 6” photo of their artwork, not the artwork itself. The photograph must bear the title of the work as well as the name, address and telephone number of the entrant on the back of the photo. The photo must be accompanied by a completed and signed entry form and payment of $10.00.
Photos will not be returned to entrants at the completion of the competition.
Copyright in all the art works exhibited will remain with the artist. It is a condition of entry however that entrants grant the Department of Veterans’ Affairs permanent royalty-free, worldwide, non-exclusive, licence to reproduce and publish work in all media of expression now known or later developed and in all languages.

SELECTION PROCESS

Following the closure of the competition, 10 selected works will be shortlisted and couriered to Canberra, where they will be displayed and viewed by Canberra DVA staff for a gold coin donation. Entrants whose work is shortlisted will be advised accordingly.
Of the 10 shortlisted works, the four recipients of the prizes 1st (Lou White Art Prize), 2nd, 3rd and the Commission’s Award) will be flown to Canberra in December for the announcement of the prizes and an afternoon tea with members of the Commission and the 90th Anniversary Coordinating Committee.
The 10 selected works will be returned by courier to artists following the announcement of the winners.

THEME

The theme is open to the choice of the artist.

JUDGE

The entries will be judged by Victorian artist Christine Wrest-Smith. Christine was elected to the Council of the Victorian Artists' Society. Christine has been a drawing tutor and teacher of life drawing at the Centre for Adult Education, and is still currently teaching drawing and holding regular life drawing workshops at the Victorian Artists' Society.

Christine was the winner of the 2002 Artist of the year at the Victorian Artists' Society. She has a B.F.A Hons. with Monash University, and is a regular entrant in the Archibald Prize. Christine has had many notable portrait commissions and works are held in corporate and overseas collections.

ENTRY FEE

The fee is $10.00 per entry (limit of one entry per person). Payment can be made by cheque – payable to: The Kokoda Track Foundation Limited. The cheques will be directly forwarded onto the Kokoda Track Foundation for it to bank and process.

HOW TO ENTER

Please print out the entry form (please note the competition has been extended and now closes on Friday 31 October 2008), , complete it, sign and submit with payment of $10.00 and a (4” x 6”) photo of your artwork. Please also include your name, address and telephone number on the back of the photo.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs will use the information you disclose on this form for the purposes of administering the DVA Art Competition only.