In 2003, local residents
Willem and Judith
Kempen, came up with
the concept of holding
an annual Art Prize in
Peterborough. In the
beginning, and after
extensive consultation
with members of the
District Council of
Peterborough, including
Mayor Ruth Whittle,
Chief Executive Officer
Terry Barnes, and
Councillor Chris
Woodman, a committee
of three was formed to
kick-start the project.
At a meeting of the
District Council of
Peterborough during
May 2003 a grant of
$2000 to the newly
formed committee was
approved together with
assistance for Town Hall
hire. Soon after the first
meeting, retired art
teacher, Heather Parker,
joined the committee
and has become the
other driving force in this
community endeavour.
The initial committee
was made up of Judith
Kempen, Willem
Kempen, Chris
Woodman, Heather
Parker, Helen Davies,
Sister Julianne Murphy,
Vicky Ridley, Gloria Frost
and Michelle Jacob.
Some of these early
helpers have moved
away from our area but
the core of the
committee, are still here.
The aims of the
Peterborough Art
Prize Committee Inc.
are:
To organise an annual art
prize
To provide artists with an
opportunity to promote
their works
To foster art in the
Peterborough region
To provide funds for art
projects
To encourage youth art.
The committee received
great support from the
Rotary Clubs of
Peterborough and Adelaide
who donated financial
assistance and physical
help so that 11 large
display stands could be
constructed. Businesses
and individuals of
Peterborough contributed
generously towards the
prizes. A total prize pool of
$2200 was on offer at the
inaugural 2004
Peterborough Art Prize
Exhibition and it attracted
67 artists, who exhibited
259 works of art. The three
local schools as well as
three regional schools also
took part in the exhibition
with the students exhibiting
175 works of art.
The inaugural
Peterborough Art Prize
Exhibition was the first art
exhibition ever to be held in
Peterborough. The
exhibition attracted 1400
visitors over a ten day
period, in March 2004, and
it was a resounding
success. The Peterborough
Art prize is held for 10 days
from the week before
Easter up to and including
Easter Monday.
In January 2005 we received
the Australia Day Regional
Event of the Year award for
2004, which was quite
gratifying for the
committee.
At the end of 2004 the
committee was able to
apply successfully to Arts
SA for a grant to construct a
further 14 display frames
and to purchase and
construct 10 spotlights.
Since the beginning the Art
Prize has gone from
strength to strength and in
2013 the Prize Pool reached
$5500 with 581 artwork
entries on display.
Peterborough Art
Prize Dates
•2019 13th April - 22nd
April
•2020 4th April - 13th April
•2021 26th March - 5th
April
Peterborough Regional Art
Centre - Peterborough Art
Prize
Peterborough
Art Prize
Our Peterborough
South Australia
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