Wollondilly Waste to Art Prize 2024
Enter I Key Dates I Textile Focus I Workshops & Fun Events
12.30pm – 2pm Thurs 4 July, 10am -2pm Fri 5 & Sat 6 July at Wollondilly Shire Hall
Our region’s premier Waste to Art exhibition. With $2600 in prizes on offer over three categories.
The WW2A Prize is an annual art exhibition with a deep commitment to reducing the waste going to landfill by inviting Artists to make art from waste materials. The exhibition is a gallery full of creative treasure made from trash complimented by a program of workshops and events.
Our focus waste material for 2024 is textile waste and entries may incorporate waste textiles. The world is in a textile waste crisis and the need for creative thinking to help solve the problem is more important than ever. STA have gathered info, ideas and resources to help you be part of the solution, just keep scrolling.
The Wollondilly Waste to Art Prize 2024 has a total prize pool $2600 provided by Wollondilly Shire Council and Southern Tablelands Arts.
- OPEN – (18+) $1700 1st Prize $1,000 / 2nd Prize $400.00 / 3rd Prize $300 Open to STA Region Artists
- Youth (12 -17 YEARS) & (7 – 11 YEARS) $400 4 equal prizes of $100
- WOLLONDILLY COMMUNITY – (18+) $500 All entries from Wollondilly artists (over 18yrs)
WW2A on tour
12.30pm – 2pm Thurs 11 July, 10am -2pm Fri 12 & Sat 13 July at Yass Soldiers Memorial Hall 82-94 Comur St, Yass
It’s the first year of the WW2A Prize on tour and it’s heading to beautiful Yass Valley. Don’t miss a curated selection of amazing waste to art works from the prize in a new venue. The WW2A Prize tour is possible with support from Veolia, Wollondilly Shire Council and Yass Valley Council.
Enter the 2024 Wollondilly Waste to Art Prize – ENTERIES OPEN MAY 15
All works displayed in the exhibition are part of the STA Peoples’ Choice Award. The winner of which receives a Stories from the Studio feature.
Entry is free and open to all residents of the STA region (Hilltops, Goulburn Mulwaree, Upper Lachlan, Queanbeyan Palerang, Wollondilly, Wingecarribee, and Yass Valley). Up to three entries per artist (submitted in one form).
Works must include waste materials and may include textile waste by using materials such as waste clothes, towels, sheets etc.
Artists will need to drop off and pick up packaged enteries to Wollondilly Shire Hall in Picton.
Wollondilly Waste to Art Prize 2024 Categories
Total prize pool $2600 provided by Wollondilly Shire Council and Southern Tablelands Arts.
- OPEN – (18+) $1700 1st Prize $1,000 / 2nd Prize $400.00 / 3rd Prize $300 Open to STA Region Artists
- Youth (12 -17 YEARS) & (7 – 11 YEARS) $400 4 equal prizes of $100
- WOLLONDILLY COMMUNITY – (18+) $500 All entries from Wollondilly artists (over 18yrs)
Sat 29 June – 11- 3pm Waste to Art Creative Workshop
FREE creative workshop to make art from waste materials including waste textiles. Enter into the Waste to Art Prize. Special late entry available for workshop participants. Drop in no bookings. Everyone welcome, children to be accompanied. At Wollondilly Shire Hall
Thurs 4 July 12.30pm Official opening and announcement of winners.
Don’t miss the offical opening of the Wollondilly Waste to Art Prize for 2024. Everyone welcome. At Wollondilly Shire Hall, 52 Menangle St, Picton
Sat 6 July – 10am – 1pm Textile Swap
Be part of the fun at the Wollondilly Textile Swap. Bring your unwanted textiles and swap them for ‘new to you’ items from other community members. Fun, free and super eco-friendly. At Wollondilly Shire Hall, 52 Menangle St, Picton
Registrations coming soon
Waste to Art All year
STA deliver regular Waste to Art creative workshops. See what’s coming up near you.
- Get inspired with online Waste2Art activities at STAkids
- Need more inspiration? See past exhibitions and workshops.
Al Phemister Hope 2023
winner ot the WW2A Prize. Made with members of the community at a creative workshop.
The Wollondilly Waste to Art Prize is an annual Wollondilly Shire Council project delivered in partnership with STA.
Key Dates
- Wed 15 May – Entries open (will be linked from this page)
- Fri 22 June – Entries close (special options to enter for workshop participants till 1st July)
- Late June – Selected Artists notified
- Sat 29 June – 11- 3pm Waste to Art creative workshop (public)
- Sat 29 June – 2pm-3pm – Selected works delivered to Wollondilly Shire Hall.
- Mon 1 July 9am-11am and 2pm-4pm Selected work delivery to Wollondilly Council.
- Thurs 4 July 12.30pm Official opening and announcement of winners.
- Thurs 4 July 12.30pm Exhibition open
- Fri 5 – Sat 6 – 10am-2pm Exhibition
- Sat 6 July – 10am – 1pm Textile Swap
- Mon 8 July 12 – 4pm – Works picked up by Artists Wollondilly Shire Hall (works not selected for tour)
- Thur 11- Sat 13 WW2A Prize tour exhibition on display at Yass Soldiers Memorial Hall
Textile Waste
Textile waste os a big problem in Australia and across the STA Region and the perfect focus for the Wollondilly Waste to Art Prize for 2024.
The average Aussie purchases 27kg of new clothing and textiles every year, and discards 23kg into landfill. This contributes to the 6,000kg of clothing and textile waste being discarded into landfill every 10 minutes, putting Australia as the second largest consumer of textiles per person in the world, after the US.
Creative thinking will make all the difference. We can fix this! We’ve gathered some scary facts and inspiring solutions…
Get Creative with your unwanted textiles
Don’t send it to landfill, your waste textiles can be so many things instead of going to landfill…
Art materials. Make creative works of art and craft from your unwanted clothes and textiles. A quick search online will show you lots of creative ideas to choose from.
Enter your work in the 2024 Wollondilly Waste to Art Prize. Entries open 15 May 2024.
Not ready to cut it up?
Pass It On. Donate your unwnated textiles to one of the many charities that operate Op Shops and social programs for people in need. There is sure to be one operating near you. And while the big charities are great, don’t forget your local community run Opportunity Shops.
OpShop.org is a free listing for stores selling goods for community and charitable organisations. The best site we know to find op shops, it’s better than a treasure map.
Fun fact – Rose the Exec Director at STA hasn’t bought a new garment in many years. All her clothes are second hand or made from recycled materials by creative people. True she is never seen in the latest fashions but her look is creative and eco-friendly.
Big Picture Thinking
Be a savvy consumer with the following tips.
- Reduce – Buy less clothes using the money you save to buy items that will last longer. Fast fashion is cheap and very, very nasty. Buy clothes that you like and feel good in rather than the fashion of the day.
- Reuse – In Australia, most clothes are worn an average of just seven times. If you buy clothes you really like you will want to wear them more.
- Recycle – Buy second hand and donate you unwanted textiles (in good condition) for someone else to use.
- Repair – Mend your clothes and wear them for longer. There are heaps of sewing groups and learn to sew options to show ou how. Ask around or serch online.
Get informed
- ABC News. Australia’s fashion waste is a growing problem, but these scientists say they have an answer
- CHOICE – Is Australia waking up to its textile waste problem? There’s no better place than Choice to visit before you buy anything.
- Yahoo News – How to avoid being duped by fast fashion: ‘Designed to fail’
- “Eight Storeys” is commenting on the supply and demand pressures of the fashion industry, drawing on the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh that occurred on April 24th 2013.
- The shirt on your back – The Guardian
- What can old clothes be made into right now? Puzzles, pillows and plastic pellets – The Guardian
Who is helping
- Clean Up Australia have a fab blog entry that’s full of easy tips and things to do. Top 10 ways to reduce fashion waste
- The Australian Government is acting on waste related to clothing textiles by funding the National Clothing Product Stewardship Scheme with The Australian Fashion Council. Find out more
- Charitable Recycling Australia is the national network of charitable purpose-driven reuse and recycling enterprises. Find out more.
- Thread Count, a data report intended to inform future waste initiatives in the state.
- ‘Recycle Mate’ app from the EPA – information about your council’s recycling collection system.
- Planet Ark have a great page where you can find local options to recycle your unwanted textiles. This page is an STA favourite, easy to read and packed with cool tips. Panet Ark reuse and recycling.
- Upparel – your unwanted items get a second life through reuse and recycling to help close the loop on textile waste. Check it out
Need more inspiration? Check out the Waste to Art exhibitions from previous years
Waste to Art by Gunning Public School Sept-Oct 2023
Works of art created from waste materials by students at Gunning Public School
Steampunk Waste to Art 2022
At the Steampunk Victoriana Fair at Goulburn Waterworks.
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