Two major award ceremonies were held this week for the Canberra arts community. On Saturday November 23 Capital Arts Patrons Organisation (CAPO) held their annual gala fundraiser auction and party where the recipients of the annual grants round were announced. On Tuesday November 26 the Canberra Critics Circle announced their annual awards for arts practice in the ACT. Both events were held at Canberra Museum and Gallery.

The ANU School of Art community was well represented at the two ceremonies with many staff and alumni receiving awards.

From the CAPO event, Gold and Silversmithing Alumna Alison Jackson was awarded The Rosalie Gascoigne Memorial Award. She was also recently the runner up in the Qantas Spirit of Youth (SOYA) Craft and Object Design Award.

Painting graduate and current Painting Technical Officer, Emma Beer was awarded the prestigious CAPO London Reading Room Exhibition Award.

Sculpture Artists in Residence and supporters of the School, Andrew Townsend and Suzie Bleach were awarded the The Macquarie Wealth Award to assist in purchasing equipment after their studio was burnt down earlier this year. Andrew is also an alumnus of the School.

Alison Munro, a PhD graduate, was awarded the Sage Legal Services award. Alison has also been the recent recipient of an Australia Council residency in Tokyo for 2015.

The CAPO Board 30th Anniversary Award went to graduate Marzena Wasikowska. Eckersley’s Materials Award was presented to graduate Claire Primrose.  The national Press Club Emerging Artist Award was presented to graduate Sally Adair. Gold and silversmithing graduate Alex Boynes was awarded The Workplace Research Associates Award. Glass graduate, Debra Jurss, won the Capital Insurance Brokers Award. Katy Mutton, a Printmedia and Drawing graduate, won the McGrath Woden Emerging Artist Award. And Bettina Hill, another Printmedia and Drawing graduate, was awarded the King O’Malley’s Award.

View the full list of award winners at CAPO 30

At the Canberra Critics Circle event, awards were presented to current staff Valerie Kirk and Wendy Teakel. There were also awards presented to former staff member Anita McIntyre and Glass Workshop Alumni Luna Ryan. The awards acknowledge outstanding presentations in major art forms throughout the region.

Read the full announcement at Canberra Critics Circle