SALA 2016: New Incentive for Older Artists, Iconic Venues Seek Exhibitors

The City of Unley has introduced a new award to the hallowed annual festival aimed at encouraging participation from Adelaide’s older artists. The Active Aging Award is open to SA artists aged 60 and over, and will see the winner awarded with a cash prize of $2000 and a dedicated exhibition space for that artist’s work in the City of Unley for SALA 2017. The award will also commemorate 10 years of cooperation between the City of Unley and SALA. “The SALA Festival has been one of the major programs on the City of Unley’s cultural calendar for 10 years,” said Unley mayor Lachlan Clyne. “Recognising, supporting and rewarding our older artists is important, and the new Active Aging Award highlights the role that council plays, offering opportunities for our older residents to express themselves and be engaged with a vibrant, active and creative community.” Registrations for SALA Festival will close on Monday, May 16, and there is still time for artists to lock in a well trafficked space for their work. The RiAus Science Exchange, Festival Centre, ABC and iconic River Torrens tour boat Popeye are among the prominent venues looking for artists to inhabit their spaces. With 2015 having broken records for artist participation, amassing more than 5200 artists across the state in upwards of 600 exhibitions, finding a suitable and well visited space is crucial for any artist hoping to cut through and reach a wide audience. SALA Festival Director Penny Griggs said that “there’s room for everybody in the SALA program,” with artists of a hugely diverse set of mediums taking part yearly. Griggs also noted the capacity of the SALA to act as a crucial starting point for new artists, “SALA is a particularly good launching pad for emerging artists to exhibit outside of their training institution for the very first time, and established gallery spaces always make an annual commitment to showcasing South Australian artists during the event,” she said. SALA registrations close on Monday, May 16 salafestival.com Image credit: Jessica Clark, Pisces Pash (detail)