MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday 7 October 2015
Nominations open for 2016 Australia Council Awards
The Australia Council is calling for nominations to recognise the outstanding achievements and significant
contributions made by individuals to the arts across seven art forms at the 2016 Australia Council Awards.
These prestigious national awards pay tribute to the remarkable accomplishments of leading Australian
artists to our arts and cultural landscape in the fields of music, literature, community arts and cultural
development, visual arts, theatre, dance, and emerging and experimental arts.
Australia Council Chief Executive Officer Tony Grybowski said the awards were the highest accolade the
Council could bestow, and recognising the contributions made by eminent artists in their respective art forms
was an important part of the Council’s mandate to invest in and champion Australian arts and artists.
“The awards are an acknowledgement of the significant achievements and contribution an artist has made to
the vibrancy of Australian arts,” Mr Grybowski said.
“Previous recipients include some of Australia’s most esteemed artists who are highly respected by their
peers and audiences.
“These awards give us the opportunity to reflect on their considerable body of work and the impact they have
had on the arts in Australia and internationally.”
Nominations are being sought for the following categories:
•
Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature
•
Australia Council Don Banks Music Award
•
Australia Council Visual Arts Award
•
Australia Council Award for Outstanding Achievement in Emerging & Experimental Arts
•
Australia Council Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance
•
Australia Council Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theatre
•
Ros Bower Award (Community Arts and Cultural Development)
•
Kirk Robson Award (Community Arts and Cultural Development)
Nominations close on Thursday, 12 November and the winners will be announced at a ceremony in March.
For more information go to: http://australiacouncil.gov.au/news/events/australia-council-awards/
ABOUT THE AWARDS
The Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature, formerly the Writers’ Emeritus
Award, acknowledges the achievements of eminent literary writers over the age of 60 who have made an
outstanding and lifelong contribution to Australian literature. Past winners include Thomas Keneally (2015),
Frank Moorhouse AM (2013), Herb Wharton (2012), the late Christopher Koch (2007) and Ruby Langford
Ginibi (2005).
The Australia Council Don Banks Music Award honours a distinguished artist aged over 50 who has
made an outstanding and sustained contribution to music in Australia. It is named in honour of Don Banks,
acclaimed Australian composer, performer and the first Chair of the Council’s Music Board. Past winners
include Archie Roach (2015) Mike Nock (2014), Kev Carmody (2013), Jon Rose (2012), Belinda Webster
(2011) and Warren Fahey (2010).
The Australia Council Visual Arts Award acknowledges the exceptional achievements of an Australian
visual artist who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of Australian art. Past winners
include Judy Watson (2015), Fiona Foley (2014), Tracey Moffatt (2012), and Fiona Hall (2011).
The Ros Bower Award is given to artists with a proven record of high achievement in community arts and
cultural development, driven by the principles of equality, respect, and diversity. It is named in honour of Ros
Bower, a journalist, television producer, community arts pioneer and founding Director of Council’s first
Community Arts Board.
The Kirk Robson Award recognises outstanding leadership from young artists and arts professionals
working in community arts and cultural development, particularly in reconciliation and social justice. It was
established to honour the memory of Kirk Robson, recipient of the Council’s Young and Emerging Artists
Initiative. Past winners of the Ros Bower and Kirk Robson awards include Tony Doyle, Lockie McDonald,
Alyson Evans and Alysha Hermann.
The Australia Council Award for Emerging & Experimental Arts
The Australia Council Award for Dance
The Australia Council Award for Theatre
These three awards were first presented in 2015 to recognise the outstanding achievements and
considerable contribution of artists in these three art forms. The inaugural awards were given to Stelarc for
Emerging and Experimental Arts, Garry Stewart for Dance and Bruce Gladwin for Theatre
Karen Smith
Media Manager, Australia Council for the Arts
02 9215 9030 | 0498 123 541
k.smith@australiacouncil.gov.au