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Time for rising artists to go completely wild

Enter the Wild HeART Student Art Prize, and your realistic masterpiece and the story that accompanies it will go in the running to win a prize and will feature in the art prize exhibition.

2023 Under 13 wild card category winner Ryeojin

Calling all young artists! An exciting art competition is underway, urging creative kids to fall in love with nature and unleash their wild side.

School-aged children are encouraged to spend time ‘in the field’ by visiting an environment that sparks their curiosity or fills them with wonder – then capture the native plants, animals or fungi in an art piece.

As part of Sunshine Coast Council’s Wild HeART Student Art Prize, their realistic masterpieces and the stories that accompany them will go in the running to win a prize and will feature in the art prize exhibition.

A selection panel will look for outstanding works across three age categories, and award winners a share of a $500 prize pool. Entries close Monday, October 7, 2024.

Sunshine Coast Council Environmental Portfolio Councillor Maria Suarez said Wild HeART celebrated nature through creativity.

“Wild HeART is your opportunity to tell the ecological story of a place you care about through your art, with a chance to be a finalist and have that art celebrated and seen,” Cr Suarez said.

“Perhaps there's a native plant in your neighbourhood that has just burst into flower? Maybe a native bird visits your backyard and has built a nest, or after all the rain you've noticed tiny fungi erupting from the soil?

“We also want you to do some investigating! What species were there? Are they thriving or threatened?”

Cr Suarez said in 2024, Wild HeART was partnering with Sunshine Coast Libraries to put the finalists into the field.

“Twenty-one outstanding artworks and their student statements will be selected for the finalists' outdoor exhibition trail at the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden,” Cr Suarez said.

“The exhibition will be on display for the entire summer holidays, from December 2024 to January 2025.

“Good luck to all the entrants this year. I look forward to seeing your creations.”

Top tips for young artists:

  • Be careful to choose a native Australian species, not an introduced species or pest.
  • Photographs from the internet may be used as reference material for the artwork but please do not copy another artist’s artwork.
  • Please read the Conditions of Entry carefully.
  • Submit your entry via the online submission form.

The three age categories are: 8 years and under; 13 years and under; and 18 years and under.

All entry instructions, forms, eligibility criteria and conditions are available under “see and do” at botanic-garden.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au  or by searching “Wild HeART Student Art Prize”.