Enter our Art, Literary & Music Competitions
The Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival holds a number of competitions, and is open to all artists, graphic designers, musicians and creative people and kids from around our region and Australia….with great prizes!
~ John Shaw Neilson Acquisitive Art Prize 2025: $12,000 ~
The John Shaw Neilson Acquisitive Art Prize, open to all emerging and established artists throughout Australia, and inspired by the works of this early Penola poet.
2024 Winner: Isabella MacKirdy – ‘Scents of Spring’
Sponsored by The Balnaves Foundation
~ NEW ~ The 2025 Youth Prize: $1,000 ~
Open to all emerging and established artists who are under 25 years and inspired by the works of John Shaw Neilson.
Sponsored by Lois Hodge
~ Penola Coonawarra Design Prize 2024: $1,000 ~
The chosen design will be used for all 2024 promotional material including a full colour program, posters, flyers, the website, banners and more.
2024 Winner: Natania Hollingsworth
~ Catherine Martin Literary Award ~
Catherine Martin was an Australian novelist and poet who published her work anonymously or under pseudonyms.
More information on winner’s shortly.
~ Kids Open Mic Competition ~
Are you the new Taylor Swift?
Great prizes.
Starts at 3pm in the big tent down Petticoat Lane.
Enter on the day or HERE
Sun 19 May – 3 pm
~ Open Mic Competition ~
Can you sing, dance or just be funny?
You have 15 minutes to impress our judges for the chance to win the big prize!
Everybody welcome to have a go. Meals available all day.
Enter on the day or before. Contact Simon 0408 085 116
Sun 19 May – 4 to 6pm
ROAK Beer Garden, 31 Church Street, Penola
~ Terracotta Pot ‘Colouring-in’ Competition ~
The only rule, it has to be a pot made from terracotta! Upcycle one you already have or grab one from the Penola HOME Hardware and embellish, adorn, revamp, beautify, garnish, create and make it dazzle (or whatever takes your fancy)!
Bring it to Petticoat Lane, on Sunday the 19th of May from 10am to go on display with all of the other masterpieces and you may just be crowned a Winner!
Prizes and pots sponsored by Penola HOME Hardware.
Judged in age categories:
Pre-School
Lower Primary (yr R-3)
Upper Primary (yr 4-6)
High School (yr 7-12)
Open Age