Photography competition in Leeton

The Western Riverina Arts photography competition returns to coincide with the Penny Paniz Art Prize in 2015.

The theme of “Living Leeton" encourages local scenes and identities. "We want people to share their view of life in the town," said Derek Motion, Regional Arts Development Officer.

"This competition is open to photographers of any skill level, using any camera device. Photography is an increasingly accessible medium, with many mobile phones having cameras."

Western Riverina Arts will be shortlisting up to a dozen of the most popular images as finalists in the competition.


To enter, download an entry form from www.westrivarts.com.au/s/Paniz-Prize-2015-Photography-Guidelines.pdf and email your photo with a brief rationale to Western Riverina Arts Regional Arts Development Officer at rado[at]westrivarts[dot]com[dot]au

All entries will be uploaded to Western Riverina Arts’ Facebook page on Tuesday 3 March 2015, where shortlisting will take place: www.facebook.com/western.arts

Ask your friends to support your image with a ‘like’. Shortlisted entries will be exhibited and a popular vote will decide the winner, who will receive $500.


"This competition aims to get a larger audience involved in the arts in Leeton," said Mr Motion. "We recognise that a good photo is one that connects with viewers, so it will be viewers who decide the winning entry."

"We want everyone to enter this competition because everyone has a view and the diversity of views will show what's great about living in Leeton."

Entries close in Monday 2 March. Download an entry from here.

Shown above is Rocco Pirrottina’s image ‘Travel Back in Time’ which won the Western Riverina Arts photography competition in 2014.

You are your family history

Dave Boyd has a writer's workshop planned for Wednesday 4 February at Leeton's Multipurpose Centre to discuss the importance of recording family history.

Now days, more and more people are researching their family history. In many cases it ends up just as a list of names, dates of birth, etc. Telling very little about the people and the lives they had lived.

Our workshop will show you how to record all this information for future generations. What is that every day hum drum things we did in our past, would be mind boggling to the children of today.

Contact Dave Boyd for more information and to book a place. Phone 6953 4272 or 0428 922 940.

NAVA workshop will help local artists

Western Riverina Arts will assist local artists to propel their careers with a six-hour workshop led by staff from the National Association for the Visual Arts on 25 February.

Register to attend by clicking here!

NAVA is the national peak body for the visual and media arts, craft and design sector. Since its establishment in 1983, NAVA has been successful in securing policy and legislative change to encourage the growth and development of the sector and to increase professionalism within the industry.

The workshop will teach how to write the perfect artist statement and CV, as well as sharing tips and ideas in developing your individual brand.

Staff from NAVA will be on hand to provide industry knowledge on pricing your work, artwork inventory, creating a marketing plan and how using an online presence such as websites or social media can propel your art career into the 21st century and potentially reaching a global audience!

The workshop will discuss dealing with rejection from grants agencies, tapping into artist networks from around Australia, and finding and maintain a mentor throughout your career and resources available to artists.

This workshop will also discuss practical opportunities to exhibit your work whilst providing you with key knowledge from industry professionals on working in partnership with galleries, knowing what a formal agreement is and the 3 C’s: consignment, contracts and commission.

"Any artist who takes their work seriously will have to sign a contract at some point in their career," said Derek Motion, Regional Arts Development Officer with Western Riverina Arts. "Even if it's a small amount of money, it's worth understanding the implications of commissioned work."

Be sure to register to be part of this opportunity for local artists.

GIMP the Photoshop skimp

Western Riverina Arts are offering photography workshops at Leeton and Narrandera libraries this month. 

In addition to sharing tips and skills, attendees will be able to take home free software to edit digital photographs on computers running Windows or Mac operating systems.

"Digital photography is one of the most accessible forms of artistic expression," said Derek Motion, Regional Arts Development Officer. "Many people have a camera, whether it's part of their mobile phone or a dedicated device.

"These workshops will assist photographers to realise their potential."

The workshops will be run by Jason Richardson, who has decades of experience as a published photographer and has exhibited in Wagga Wagga and Leeton.

"We'll be looking at the program GIMP," said Mr Richardson. "It's a free alternative to Photoshop that has tools to crop, scale, and touch-up images.

"If you'd like an introduction to editing digital photographs, as well as software, join a workshop and I'll help get you started."

Bring a USB drive and take away GIMP.

"You may remember Gimp as a character in Pulp Fiction? I should add that he has nothing to do with this workshop," said Mr Richardson.

Workshop at Narrandera Shire Library on Friday 23 January from 2pm to 3pm. Cost is $5, book your place by phoning the Library on 6959 5585.

Workshop at Leeton Shire Library on Tuesday 27th January from 11am to noon. Cost is $5, book your place by phoning the Library on 6953 0945.

Want to be part of The Cad Factory’s next project?

Do you make craft and textiles? Are you interested in art? Then save these dates:

Monday 2 February, 6pm - 7:30pm
Tuesday 3 February, 10:30am - 12pm

The Narrandera Arts Hub, at the Railway Station

On Common Ground is a Cad Factory project exploring textile practices of Narrandera and surrounds. The result will be a spectacular art experience throughout the commons and across the Murrumbidgee River in mid October.

The Cad Factory and Sydney arts organisation Performance Space are holding free workshops with contemporary artist Nicole Barakat throughout 2015. Nicole will work with community members to facilitate the making of new work that will be exhibited outside in the commons as part of On Common Ground.

If you’d like the opportunity to have some fun, learn new skills, make some original artwork and hear what On Common Ground is all about, then please come along to the information session on either Monday 2 February from 6pm - 7:30pm, or, Tuesday 3 February, 10:30am - 12pm. Both sessions are exactly the same and will be held at the Narrandera Arts Hub. Light refreshments will be served.

In each session The Cad Factory will introduce the project, Nicole Barakat will talk about the work she makes and all participants are asked to bring along a textiles piece you’ve made to share with the group. It can be a photo or the object. All skill levels welcome.

Vic McEwan from The Cad Factory says, “On Common Ground will be the most ambitious project we have ever attempted. It is exciting to start this process by having Nicole visit us and to to share with everyone the wider plans for On Common Ground and the many ways that more people can be involved”.

Nicole Barakat is an artist who works to unpick the borders of art and life. She works from a place of love and patience, and enjoys dancing with traditional and contemporary textile practices.

Nicole has exhibited and performed throughout Australia and internationally in San Francisco, Stockholm and London. She has worked as an art educator for over ten years, which includes lecturing in fine arts at UNSW COFA from 2003 – 2011. Nicole currently works as an artist educator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia.

$19,405 for Western Riverina art

Acting Premier and Minister for the Arts Troy Grant has announced the NSW Government will provide nearly $20,000 to support country arts projects throughout the Western Riverina in 2015.

“These projects celebrate local arts and culture, and build community spirit by encouraging people to participate in and create art.

“They provide wonderful opportunities for people of all ages to learn new skills and experience the joys of art first-hand,” Mr Grant said.

The Country Arts Support Program (CASP) is an Arts NSW devolved funding program administered by Regional Arts NSW on behalf of the NSW Government.

CASP provides small grants to arts and community organisations in regional NSW for short term, locally initiated projects. It is designed to primarily cover professional artist's fees and expenses such as travel and accommodation.

In Griffith the Police Citizens Youth Club will receive $5,000 for the Spray Sessions program, which teaches young people graffiti-style art skills. Classes will include sketching, virtual design on iPads and spray can technique. The 16-week project includes a professional artist delivering four workshops and finishes with the creation of a mural at the local skate park and an exhibition at the regional gallery.

In Narrandera The Cad Factory will receive $5,000 towards the project On Common Ground, a community-driven, site-specific exploration of innovative contemporary textile practices and traditional textile crafts of the region with a focus on their interaction with the land and environment. This interdisciplinary collaboration will respond to local agriculture and manufacturing industries. 

In Leeton the Riverina Community College will receive $5,000 towards a series of workshops with local artist Louise Cooper. Ms Cooper will teach local young people simple crafts, marketing and event management skills to produce small craft goods. The project will culminate in the development of a showcasing market to launch products and services to both local and worldwide audiences. The event will take place during National Youth Week 2015. 

In Wamoon the parents and citizens committee of the public school will receive $4,405 toward the Wamoon Centenary Artist in Residence Program: Putting Wamoon Back on the Map! There will be a series of creative community development workshops and activities run by local artist, Louise Cooper, for Wamoon primary school students and the community as part of the Wamoon Centenary celebrations in 2015. Activities will include painting a mural wall, making heritage costumes, an exhibition, and recording memoirs for publication in the Wamoon Centenary Book. 

Western Riverina Arts played a role in shortlisting of these projects and recommending them for CASP funding. As the peak body for arts and cultural development across the Western Riverina, our region covers the Local Government Areas of Narrandera, Leeton and Griffith.

Our objective is to connect artists, communities and councils to foster a vibrant and creative region. Western Riverina Arts is a member of Regional Arts NSW and is supported by the NSW Government through Arts NSW.

Looking for us?

We've moved into Leeton's "Arts Hub" on Wade Avenue.

Come and find us!