NetWaste WASTE2ART Competition
Waste 2 Art is a community art exhibition and competition open to all local residents who reside in the NetWaste region. It engages the community and showcases creative works made from reused & recyclable waste materials.
Councils involved host a local competition and the winning artworks are then transported to a Regional Exhibition which is hosted by a different council each year.
Waste 2 Art’s aim is to challenge peoples’ perceptions about ‘rubbish’ and to celebrate the reuse and recycling of waste through arts and crafts. Waste to Art provides an innovative approach to waste education, invites schools and community groups to take up the challenge and create a new life for materials that would otherwise have been thrown away
2025 Waste Theme: Year of the Toys
Australia's demand for toys and games is on the rise, with a growing focus on learning and development for our children. To fuel this market, it has been reported that Australia imports around 220 million toys, weighing over 200 thousand tonnes, annually. The value of the industry amounted to approximately 2.3 billion dollars in 2024.
Sadly, on the other side of the joy and prosperity this industry provides, many of these toys end up as waste. In weight, just over half of imported toys are discarded, and of this over 80% end up in Australia’s landfills.
There are several categories for primary and secondary school students as well as community members and professional artists in the Open category. These include two dimensional, three dimensional and functional artworks. Students can also make their art at home and then select primary or secondary when entering.
Entries close 2nd of June 2025.
Artworks will be Judged on the 13th of June 2025.
Prizes are below; the winners will then go to Dubbo for the regional W2A competition and regional exhibition.
Primary School – Primary and Preschool age children, as individuals, or group/school/class.
2D – Poster/Painting/collage/drawing - $100
3D Sculpture Installation - $100
Functional – Utilitarian or serves a purpose - $100
High School – high school ages students as individuals or as group/school/class
2D – Poster/Painting/collage/drawing - $100
3D Sculpture Installation - $100
Functional – Utilitarian or serves a purpose - $100
Community (open to non-professional artists)
2D – Poster/Painting/collage/drawing - $200
3D Sculpture Installation - $200
Functional – Utilitarian or serves a purpose - $200
Open (professional artists)
2D – Poster/Painting/collage/drawing - $200
3D Sculpture Installation - $200
Functional – Utilitarian or serves a purpose - $200
Peoples’ choice award (most votes at the exhibition) - $200
WASTE 2 ART NETWASTE WEBSITE
Find out more about the workshop and competition here