THE PSA ANNUAL AND ALEXANDRA AWARDS ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED. A big thank you to all who entered.  

• There’s an Online (O) option again, for an uploaded image only, along with the Exhibition (E) option for works that need to be framed and presented for exhibiting at this year’s venue at the Mt Coot-tha Auditorium, Brisbane. The Exhibition runs for 5 days and will be open to the public from 2 pm Wednesday 19 June to 1 pm Sunday 23 June. All works hung and the online images will be promoted as being for sale. A 30% commission on sales to the PSA will apply. (See para 5.).

• All paintings (E and O) must be the original work of the artist, have been completed within the last two years, and, if mixed media, have at least 75% pastel (soft) on top. (See paras 1.1 to 1.8 on eligibility.)

• Both options (E and O) have a different prize schedule (see para 7.) and there will be two judges for both options (see para 6.).

• All PSA member entries are still $25 each. Members can submit up to 3 entries across the Categories – but only one painting per category.  (See para 1.4.)

• Non-members can submit one entry overall for a $60 fee (see para 1.5.) or, they are welcome to join the PSA for $50 plus a $20 one-time joining fee (pastelsocietyofaustralia.com.au), if they want to submit more and be part of an active community of pastel art lovers.

• The Alexandra Awards are only for the E option and only for PSA members who have never won a first prize for a pastel painting in any art competition. (See para 1.7 for eligibility for these awards.) Only one painting can be entered into the Alexandras by a member, but they can add two other entries (E, O) or one of each option to make up their limit of 3 entries.

• The Pastellist of the Year is chosen from among the artists who place first in the categories from the Exhibition option, and the judges will be asked to assess a consistently high standard when viewing the other entries by these artists. Therefore, the Pastellist of the Year will need to have made more than one submission in the Exhibition option.

• Opening night and the announcement of award winners will be at the venue on Friday 21 June 2024 6.30 to 8.00 pm.

• Thanks go to our sponsors softpastels.com.au, Art Spectrum, Art House Reproductions, S&S, Arthouse Northside for their ongoing sponsorship and to our donors, the Diefenbach family and the Barbara Alexandra family trust, for their faithful support of the PSA.

• As always, we invite members to nominate a morning or afternoon session to be on roster for the hours that the exhibition is open.

I look forward to seeing your entries and mounting another wonderful Exhibition of pastel - and to showcasing the high standard achieved in this fine art medium, especially by the members of the PSA.

Tricia Reust

Coordinator, PSA Exhibitions