At the busy end of the secondary school curriculum each year, our staff are sought out to judge VCE art and culture prizes at local schools. These awards can have a profound effect on a student’s confidence in their artistic trajectory.

Surrounded by the school and its community, it is easy to see the generational impact our programs have on the Ballarat community. At these events, our visual and performing arts graduates are also in the roles of teacher trainees, school staff and parents, all supporting the next generation of artists.

If you are interested in discussing options for your school get in touch.

Now in its tenth year, the Flanagan Art Exhibition and Prize has grown into an important visual art award for the region, with a total of $7,000 in prize money offered to Australian artists.

The University, through its Arts Academy staff, has contributed to the award since its inception. Visual arts staff member, Debbie Hill, was on the founding committee which established the award to showcase the commitment of St Patrick’s College to the arts. Arts Academy staff such as Claire Blake, Jennifer Jones-O’Neill, Peter Pilven, Carole Wilson, and Tony Hanning have shared their expertise through membership of selection panels, organising committees, curatorial teams, judging, and in other official capacities. For the past three years, the Exhibition Coordinator has been Arts Academy graduate, Fran Deutsher.

The Federation University Australia Emerging Artist Award is an integral part of the Flanagan Art Prize, offering $1,500 to someone wishing to develop a career in a chosen art form, who has not exhibited regularly in or through a commercial gallery, and/or has practiced as a professional artist continually for less than five years.

To see the winners and finalists of the Flanagan Art Exhibition and Prize, go to the St Patrick's College website.

Primary to tertiary aged students are invited to the Post Office Gallery in central Ballarat to view current exhibitions and participate in guided interpretative talks and lectures.

A part of the Arts Academy’s school education program, Learning @ The Post Office includes interpretative talks, lectures about investigation and analysis, and the processes and roles involved behind the scene of an exhibition. Each of these activities are recommended for VCE art and studio art units, and can be booked for a maximum of 25 students per group. For all the details, go to the Post Office Gallery website.

If you are interested in discussing options for your school, get in touch.

In 2017, the Mount Clear College Year 10 drama students experienced Classical Greek up close and personal with a tailored program involving the Arts Academy’s second-year Actors. Their itinerary included:

• watching and analysing Agamemnon, performed by Arts Academy students
• experiencing the performing arts facilities at Federation University Australia, and an intimate encounter with all aspects of theatre performance

By enabling students to experience a live performance rather than a video, this collaboration seeks to ignite the fire of ambition for these secondary students, and set their sights on a creative life.

If you are interested in discussing options for your school, get in touch.

The Arts Academy has partnered with Footscray City College to offer their Year 10, 11 and 12 students work placements in stage management.

Secondary students with a passion for being in the thick of it are mentored in aspects of technical theatre operations in real time, working on theatre shows in Melbourne and Ballarat for FedUni student productions. Previous shows have included The Addams Family and Rent.

If you are interested in discussing placement options for your school, get in touch.

In September each year, Year 11 and VCE students in Ballarat and Gippsland who are considering a career in the creative arts have the chance to experience the tertiary art school environment.

Working with FedUni artists helps you to identify your artistic strengths and weaknesses, and supports your development of artistic concepts and language. Our academic staff also assist you in creating a quality folio of artwork to present at an interview for entry into a tertiary visual arts program the following year.

The all-day workshops are usually held in the second week of the September school holiday, and are open to anyone wishing to apply directly to art and design programs at Federation University Australia.

If you are interested in discussing other visual art and design options for your school, get in touch.

The Gippsland Centre for Art and Design celebrates the region’s emerging visual artists through the Refresh Art Prize.

Refresh showcases the creative work of Gippsland VCE art students and their schools. The prestigious award has a total prize pool of $5,000. It amplifies and champions the significant work happening in visuals arts programs across secondary schools in the Gippsland region. Selected works are also exhibited at the University’s Switchback Gallery, strengthening participants’ portfolios.

In 2017, the first prize of $2,000 was taken out by Sally Jensen from Kooweerup Secondary College. Read more about the 2017 results.

Timing: Entries close Friday, 4 August. An independent panel judges the award and the winners are announced at the University’s Open Day in late August.

Frequency: Annual
Value: $2,000 first prize, plus others to a total prize pool of $5,000
Eligible discipline: Visual arts
Eligible year level: VCE art students
Additional requirements: It is important students see their art teacher for entry and submission details or download information from the Switchback Gallery website.

If you are interested in discussing other visual art and design options for your school get in touch.