The Wild HeART Student Art Prize is a Sunshine Coast community enterprise initiated by Sunshine Coast Council. Queensland school aged students are encouraged to participate in this exciting opportunity by entering one realistic artwork portraying native Australian flora, fungi or fauna.

A prize pool to the value of $3000 has been generously sourced by the organisations that comprise the Working Group - the Friends of the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden, Qld Wildlife Artists Society Inc., Friends of Mary Cairncross Association and Sunshine Coast Council.

Forty finalists will be selected from all entries received across each age category and subject, and will be professionally displayed at the Arts & Ecology Centre in the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden, Tanawha, (near Buderim).

Key dates

Entries open:	Friday 31 March 2023
Entries close:	Sunday 16 July 2023, 11:45pm
Finalists announced:	Monday 7 August 2023
Finalists artwork delivery days:	Friday 8 – Monday 11 September 2023
Winners announced:	Saturday 16 September 2023
Exhibition dates:	Saturday 16 September – Sunday 1 October 2023
Return of finalists’ artworks:	Monday 2 October 2023 (Public Holiday)

Categories and awards

There are three age categories:

8 years and under
13 years and under
18 years and under

From each age category the following awards will be selected:

Best flora and / or fungi
Best fauna
Best threatened species
Judge’s wild card (see below)

Judge’s wild card award - The judge will award one wild card award to a finalist from each of the three age categories. This award is for an additional outstanding artwork from any of the Australian flora and fungi, fauna or threatened species categories.

There are twelve Wild HeART Student Art Prize awards collectively totalling $3000 as outlined below. All prizes are gift vouchers for art materials – there are no cash prizes.

2023 Art Prizes	8 years & under	13 years & under	18 years & under
Best flora and / or fungi	$200	$250	$300
Best fauna	$200	$250	$300
Best threatened species	$200	$250	$300
Judge’s wild card	$200	$250	$300

Creativity and originality

The Wild HeART Working Group encourages children to be creative in their search to find an Australian species to illustrate. Look for a species that you did not know was in your back yard or favourite place, or one that you know very little about. Explore and learn something new and amazing about the species you choose. Remember:

Fauna refers to Australian animals including birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects and other invertebrates.
Flora and fungi refers to Australian plant and fungi species (including mushrooms).
Be careful to choose a native Australian species, not an introduced species from another country.
Photographs from the internet may be used as reference material for your artwork but please do not copy another artist’s artwork.

Photographing the artwork entry

To enter the Wild HeART Student Art Prize your artwork must be photographed. Please ensure your photograph:

Clearly represents the artwork, shows good detail and doesn’t have any shadows.
Is a jpeg file, no larger than 5MB.
Image file has been named for easy identification: <student first name> <initial of family name> <age group> <species name>

Conditions of entry

Please ensure you read the conditions of entry.

To be considered for selection, entrants must comply with all entry instructions and conditions.

Submitting entry forms and artwork

Entry forms and artworks must be submitted via an online form.

Individual (single) entry form

School (bulk) entry form

Upload options for schools:

Upload a compressed zip file (under 10MB)
Upload up to 20 individual images (max. total size 50MB)
Provide a URL for a shared folder locatio

Schools are also required to complete a bulk entry spreadsheet and upload this as part of their submission.

Stay up to date

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Spread the word about Wild HeART in your community. Download and print a Wild HeART Student Art Prize poster and display in your school or community.