Categories and Prizes

Wearable Art Mandurah has several categories that designers can enter, as well as some additional prizes that your garment may be eligible for.

Categories

The following categories are standard each year:

Avant Garde
The category for any entrant who has a bold, innovative design and needs a place to express themselves. Avant Garde is our ‘anything goes’ category, so bring your biggest ideas!

Paper
Explore the fragility and resilience of paper as a material, by creating a garment made of at least 90% paper. These garments must be worn for judging, however successful paper garments will be exhibited at Alcoa Mandurah Art Gallery, not worn in Showcase.

Tertiary
Open to designers who are students registered at universities, TAFE institutions or government-approved registered training organisations in 2022.

Tertiary Pairing Project
Students from Tertiary institutions may be nominated by a teacher or faculty member to take part in the Tertiary Pairing Project. This project sees designers paired with students at a different institution, to create a collaborative set of garments under the theme Elemental.

Youth
Designers under the age of 18 are welcome to enter the Youth Category, either individually or with the support of their school. There is a separate award for 12 and Under and 13-18 age groups.

Conceptual Category
The conceptual category is unique each year, and is designed to prompt creativity and ideas among our designers! This year’s conceptual category is:

Elemental
Your interpretation of the theme is up to you – but you should make it clear in your Artist Statement how your garment relates to the concept. Some ideas on how you could consider Elemental are:
– Relating to the scientific elements
– Considering or utilising inherent or rudimentary design concepts
– Relating to the environment and the basic elements that make up our world

Prizes

Category Prizes
The highest scoring garments from each category will receive the Category prize:

– Avant Garde: $1,000
– Paper: $1,000
– Elemental: $1,000
– Tertiary: $1,000
– Tertiary Pairing: $1,000 each
– Youth Under 12: $250
– Youth 13-18: $750

First-Time Entrant Award
$1,000
For the highest scoring garment in any category from a designer who has submitted to Wearable Art Mandurah for the very first time.

International Award
$1,000
For the highest scoring garment in any category from a designer outside of Australia.

Taftainc. Award
Prize worth up to $1,400
For the garment in any category that shows the most innovative use of traditional fibres and textiles. The winning designer will receive free entry to the 2023 Geelong Fibre Forum, inclusive of meals, accommodation and tutors fees.

Creative Reuse Award
$3,000
For the garment in any category that best utilises discarded objects or materials to create a product of higher quality or value than the original. Requires a minimum of 80% repurposed materials.

Artist of the Year
$5,000
For the artist whose garment receives the highest score across all categories.

Designers may not receive multiple prizes for the same garment. If a designer is the highest scorer across multiple awards, they will be deemed to win the prize of the highest value.