Northern Beaches Environmental Art and Design Prize 2021

Overview

Keen to get a big ol' dose of culture by the beach? A new arts prize has landed in Sydney's Northern Beaches, so you can check out some epic art right after (or before) a dip in the ocean. Dubbed the Northern Beaches Environmental Art and Design Prize, it was open to both established and emerging creative talents, receiving more than 800 entries. And, until Sunday, December 12, you can see the top 226 finalists across three of the beaches' top arts spaces: Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Curl Curl Creative Space and Mona Vale Creative Pop-Up.

The inaugural multi-venue exhibition displays contemporary works by Australian artists and designers, all offering unique perspectives on the natural world and our current environmental challenges.

With eight categories — ceramics and small sculpture; functional design; wearable design; digital work, film and video; interdisciplinary collaboration; painting; works on paper and photography; and young artists and designers — there's a lot to see. So, you may want to set aside a few hours to hop between each venue. After you've seen all the works, you can even vote for you favourite work in the People's Choice Awards.

On top of the exhibition, there are events that'll take your art viewing to greater depths. At Curl Curl Creative Space, you can catch a workshop on creating art with nature on Sunday, December 5, at 3pm. Otherwise, head to Mona Vale Creative Pop-Up and hear from the young finalists on their works and their hopes for the future.

The inaugural Northern Beaches Environmental Art and Design Prize is on display across Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Curl Curl Creative Space and Mona Vale Creative Pop-Up until Sunday, December 12. The exhibition is open from 10am–5pm, Tuesday–Sunday.

Works L-R: Ivy Whiteman, Why the Sea is Boiling Hot; Gemma + Richard Rasdall, Table Lamp; Karina Teh, Citrus Prism; Susan Milne, Greg Stonehouse and Justin Martin, Gwabba Maia - Place of Joy at the Environmental Art & Design Prize 2021, Curl Curl Creative Space.