Celebrating its 20th year, The Doyles Art Award and Exhibition has been sparking creativity across the Gold Coast with a series of art activities planned during the week-long event.
Against the backdrop of Mudgeeraba's historic buildings, a selection of operators will deliver art workshops, some of which are free, tailored for beginners and advanced creatives.
Event Director Sam Sinner says as a significant component of The Doyles Art Award and Exhibition, there are many workshops to choose from before and during the exhibition.
"The Doyles involves more than the exhibition and award, there are so many community events on offer, including creative rock painting, life drawing, macramé workshops and more," says Ms Sinner.
"For a full list of our events, simply visit our website or checkout out our Facebook page, where everyone can easily access the exciting line up of activities, some are free, and others require bookings and a fee."
Running until 7 July and featuring nearly 600 works on display, The Doyles is an iconic event on Australia's art and culture calendar held in Firth Park Community Centre.
Ms Sinner says this free community event is about more than showcasing incredible art; it's an invitation for the community to engage and support Australian artists.
"The Doyles is a celebration of artistic talent and provides a platform for emerging and established artists to share their creativity and works," says Ms Sinner.
"Visiting the exhibition provides people with the opportunity to connect directly with the artists themselves and even potentially take home a piece of original art that resonates with you."
Ms Sinner says this year has been the largest entry pool to date, so the artworks on display include a number of diverse and captivating creations that reflect the talent of the Australian art community.
"With a prize pool of $30,000 split between several categories, The Doyles are seen as a significant Australian art award that has gone from strength to strength," says Ms Sinner.
"The primary prize money is awarded to the Landscape category, in keeping with the favoured subject of the awards' namesake, d'Arcy Doyle, to honour his memory and encourage others in the creation of quintessentially Australian art.
"The organising team behind the event has established an outstanding reputation for promoting new and emerging artists and last year we delivered over $70,000 back into the arts community through prizes and sales."
Named after famous Australian artist d'Arcy William Doyle, the prestigious award is the Gold Coast's longest running painting prize and carries a prize pool of $30,000 across its three competition categories – Landscape, Figurative and Still Life.
Originally established in 2004 by dedicated volunteers, The Doyles Art Award is held in Firth Park Community Centre, Somerset Drive in Mudgeeraba and runs from 27 June to 7 July 2024.
The Doyles Art Award is supported by arts and culture focused sponsors which have been instrumental in the longevity of the award and the increase in prize money including Bond University, Attwood Marshall Lawyers, SkyRidge Living, Left Bank Art Group, Wings Real Estate, A Gentle Touch Funerals, The Hive Art Gallery, Friends of the Arts Foundation, Roberts Law, Canson Australia, Gold Coast Innovation Hub and HW Litigation.
