We believe that artists of all ages deserve to have their work on display at their State Festival.
This is an open call to artists between 14 and 26 years old, anywhere in WA, to create a new piece of art in response to our 2024 Festival theme ‘Ngaangk,’ meaning both ‘sun’ and ‘mother’ in Noongar.
You can create a piece of Flash Fiction or Video Art.
Fifteen pieces of Video Art and fifteen pieces of Flash Fiction will then be programmed as part of Perth Festival 2024.
Young artists will create either a piece of Video Art or Flash Fiction in response to our 2024 Festival theme ‘Ngaangk’ and submit it in one of three age categories; 14 – 17, 18 – 22 and 23 – 26 years old.
Submissions will be considered in terms of three criteria;
Each Festival under Iain Grandage has had a Noongar word / concept as their theme; we’ve had Karla [fire], Bilya [river], Wardan [ocean] and Djinda [stars]. In 2024, the theme is ‘Ngaangk’. Look at our Application Kits to hear how two Noongar artists and storytellers explain Ngaangk; it is this thematic exploration that we’re asking you to respond to via your Flash Fiction or Video Art.
Submissions open Monday 30 Oct, 2023
Flash Fiction online workshop (optional) 4.30pm – 6pm, Wed 22 Nov, 2023
Video Art online workshop (optional) 4.30pm – 6pm, Wed 29 Nov, 2023
Submissions close Sun 7 Jan, 2024
Selected artists notified By Wed 18 Jan, 2024
Major winners announced At Pookie’s Prom Night, Fri 16 Feb, 2024 (more details on this fun event coming soon!)
Artwork displayed at Lotterywest Films happening from February onwards, 2024
Writers Weekend event Sun 25 Feb, 2024. time TBC
Age categories; 14 – 17, 18 – 22 and 23 – 26 years old.
Please note This opportunity is open to WA residents only.
We've created a few handy Application Kits to help you get started. You can also join an optional online workshop run by artists to help you create your piece.
About the kits
We’ve commissioned two artists, Casey Mulder of Night Parrot Press, and Tom Blake (see his work at Goolagatup Heathcote this Festival) to make an Application Kit to help you with your submission. These kits contain explanations of the theme, the medium you’ll apply in, and have great tips & activities to guide you on your creation process. Download them below.
Download the kits
About the workshops
Casey and Tom will each run one free online workshop where they will lead you through a couple of the exercises in the Activity Kits. These workshops are not compulsory but might help you along the way!
You will also have a chance to ask Perth Festival any questions you may have about the submission & programming process – though you can send questions at any time to [email protected].
How to submit
Once you’ve got your submission ready, send it to Perth Festival by Sunday 7 January, 2024 by clicking the button below.
A panel will choose five finalists from each age category to receive a Perth Festival prize pack and have their work programmed into the Festival.
FLASH FICTION
Fifteen selected stories from the Flash Fiction stream (five in each age category) will be read by professional actors at a free event as part of Writers Weekend, with potential for additional opportunities. The fifteen writers will also receive a Perth Festival tote bag tote bag and t-shirt, as well as a six-pack voucher to our outdoor cinema, Lotterywest Films.
One overall winner in each age category will receive all of the above, along with a double pass to BOTH Sampa the Great and Sampha at the Supreme Court Gardens (valued at over $350!) and a one-on-one mentorship session with a Perth Festival artist.
VIDEO ART
Fifteen selected artworks from the Video Art stream (five in each age category) will play before the feature film at our outdoor cinema Lotterywest Films and other digital screens around UWA from February onwards, and will be displayed at YMCA HQ during the Festival. The fifteen artists will also receive a Perth Festival tote bag and t-shirt, as well as a six-pack voucher to our outdoor cinema, Lotterywest Films.
One overall winner in each age category will receive all of the above, along with a double pass to BOTH Sampa the Great and Sampha at the Supreme Court Gardens (valued at over $350!) and a one-on-one mentorship session with a Perth Festival artist.
You do not, however we do encourage you to have a look at them. They are full of useful activities and ideas to help you submit your best piece, and they contain some details & instructions that will be very helpful.
Yes, you are allowed to apply, but please be aware the activities and program have been designed for students from a Year 10 level and upwards, and you’ll potentially be assessed against folks much older than you.
We encourage you to see how you might paint or sculpt an artwork, and then use your phone to film it in an interesting / artistic way to form your Video Art submission. You can find some hints and tips on that in the Video Art Application Kit.
Absolutely, we’d love to see submissions from young people all over WA. If you are not able to make it to Perth to make use of your prizes, we will look into working with a local arts organization to offer you something alternative.
You do not, the workshop is optional. We do encourage you to attend, but it is not compulsory. You can also ask questions of Perth Festival by emailing [email protected]
A panel made up of Perth Festival’s Associate Producer: Creative Learning, the Activity Kit artist and an artist under 26 years old will review all submissions and make a decision together based on the ‘Creativity/Originality’ ‘Artistic Quality’ and ‘Thematic Relevance’ of each work.
If you have a ready-made piece of work that fits the brief, there’s no reason you can’t include it. However, we’re hoping that this call-out inspires lots of new pieces of art being created, so we challenge you to try something new!