ANTICIPATION was in the air on Saturday when the prizes were announced for Waste 2 Art Broken Hill by the Broken Hill Art Exchange.
The 2025 competition attracted 72 entries across preschool, primary school, secondary school, community and professional artist categories.
This year the competition was judged by a diverse panel of local artists including Dennis Hebbard from Willyama Arts; Hester Lyon, Verity Nunan and Asma D Mather from Slag Heap Projects and Clinton Kemp from Amanya Mitha Indigenous Arts.
The first prize winners will be delivered to The Western Plains Cultural in Dubbo to compete and exhibit at the regional showcase hosted by the competition organiser’s NetWaste.
Nadina Benvenisti Secretary of the Broken Hill Art Exchange said the theme this year encouraged many entries from young artists.
“The 2025 theme: The Year of Toys really inspired Broken Hills young artists and has been great to get young minds creating and thinking about sustainability,” she said.
“We had so many entries this year, we created a second prize in two categories to ensure the artists were recognised. Each year we are so impressed by both the quality of works but also the different interpretations of the theme.”
Ms Benvenisti said that Broken Hill will be hosting next year’s regional showcase on behalf of NetWaste.
“Getting artworks from regional councils to Broken Hill is a logistical challenge and the fact NetWaste has selected Broken Hill for the showcase is a testament to the success of the program and quality of art the Broken Hill community has produced over the past three years,” she said.
“Whilst the theme of 2026 is yet to be announced, it won’t have a focus on a specific waste material, so we hope to see a variety of different waste materials reimagined into something beautiful.”
The Art Exchange has produced a catalogue with all the entries which can be viewed https://www.brokenhillartexchange.org.au/waste-to-art
Winners:
Preschool 2D and 3D 1st Prize Aaron McConville Aaron’s Garage
Preschool 2D and 3D Peoples Choice Aaron McConville Aaron’s Garage
Primary School 2D 1st Prize Leo Pratt Plastic Planet
Primary School 2D Peoples Choice Leo Pratt Plastic Planet
Primary School 3D – First Prize Annabell Druitt, Bella Mawby & Samaah Chand for Barbies Room
Primary 3D – 2nd Prize Scarlette Rogers Recycled Squishmallow
Primary School 3D – Peoples Choice Scarlette Rogers Recycled Squishmallow
Primary 3D – 2nd Prize people’s choice JOINT Saxon Hurley for Land of Time and Lachie Dean for Pip the Puppet
Secondary School 3D 1st Prize Natalia Kloczko for Midnight Dreams
Secondary School 3D Peoples Choice Natalia Klocko: Midnight Dreams
Community 2D 1st prize Lilith Dewsbery for Princess Peg and Friends.
Community 2D Peoples Choice Sarah Pratt Alpha Beta
Community 3D -1st prize Dale Rushforth for the Cello
Community 3D – Peoples Choice Sarah Pratt Rainbow Rubbish Bears
Community 3D – 2nd prize Graham Banks for Edie
Community 3D – Peoples Choice 2nd prize Ella Horsfall – The Toy Guardian
Professional Artist 1st prize Krystle Evans for Lil sis
Professional Artist Peoples Choice Cree Marshall – 3 Little Ducks
Overall best group entry in theme Annabell Druitt, Bella Mawby & Samaah Chand for Barbies Room
Overall best metal artwork Dale Rushforth for The Cello
Overall best artwork in theme Graham Banks for Edie
