At a gala cocktail event held in Aarwun Gallery, Gold Creek on Thursday, the winners in the 2024 National Contemporary Art Prize, formerly the National Capital Art Prize, were announced.

This event, which also launched the public exhibition of finalists showcased a strong selection of mostly paintings, chosen from 81 shortlisted pieces that journeyed to Canberra for the final round of judging by a panel that included John Sackar, President of Arts Law Centre of Australia, Shireen Huda from ArtsACT and Robert Stephens, founder of the prize.

Four artists received a cash prize from a total pool of $49,000, spread across three prize categories – Open, First Nations and Sustainability. Stephens said there had been unanimous agreement in the prize selections.

A People’s Choice Award reflected popular votes made online during the leadup to the exhibition.

Kerry Madawyn McCarthy from the NT won the $20,000 First Nations Prize for her acrylic on linen artwork, Syaw (Fish Net), reflecting the artist’s Country, where there is both salt water and fresh water. “In the olden days, people would go hunting with fish nets woven out of pandanus,” she said.

Peta West from NSW won the $20,000 Open Prize for her relief linocut, Halcyon Song, which captures West’s experience of the Nitmiluk National Park, as a flock of black cockatoos takes flight across rock faces into the  sky. West’s prints are assembled like collages.

As well, the judges named two highly commended artworks in the open section – Nick Offer, from Canberra, for his oil,  paint, ink and toner painting, Oracle, and Ebony Bennett, from the Hunter Valley, for her work, Holding Court – Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos.

Jodie Munday from NSW won the $8,000 Sustainability Prize for her artwork Chain of Ponds, made of natural and hand dyed raffia, glass and waxed thread. The work is a topographic view of natural waterholes and the passage between each one as it flows across the landscape.

The $1000 People’s Choice Award, chosen by the public, went to Lisa Kennedy from NSW for her graphite drawing, Feeling A Little Ruffled, inspired by a sighting on a rather bleak and gusty winter’s day at the artist’s rural property.

“We all view the world through a different lens, and it takes bravery to share our views and beliefs, especially where it can be judged by others,” Stephens said.

The 81 finalist artworks are on display in Aarwun Gallery, Federation Square, until October 13. Entry free.