Above image: Lorraine Byrne

The Camberwell Art Show is back for the 49th consecutive event. After a modest beginning at the Camberwell Grammar School in 1966, the competition has grown to attract thousands of visitors and entrants over a wide variety of painting styles and age groups, with the show now offering significant awards to artists, including a $20,000 cash prize to the ‘Best of Show’, $10,000 to the runner-up and $5000 to third place. Deans Art sponsors several encouragement awards.

The aim of the art show is to raise money for the Rotary Club’s charitable endeavours, provide a venue for artists to display their work and offer an artistic event for the community at large. To date, the Camberwell Art Show has raised more than $2.3 million for regional, national and international humanitarian and charitable projects.

“The nice thing about the Art Show is that we are all volunteers with proceeds going directly to projects in the local and wider community,” explains Graeme Hope, president of the Rotary Club of Camberwell. “These projects range from housing for the homeless within the City of Boroondara to maintaining a camp for children with disabilities near Bendigo.

Image: Mark Burton

“The Art Show is the Rotary Club’s major fundraiser and attracts celebrated artists from all around Australia as well as overseas. From traditional to contemporary, there’s something for everyone and all art is for sale at affordable prices,” he adds.

Since its inception, the show’s entry procedure has been gradually refined, with a specially appointed selection and judging panel reviewing all entries to decide which work will be invited to exhibit at the event. Past judges have included Sir William Dargie, Paul Fitzgerald, Harold Freeman, Karlis Mednis, Herman Pekel, Ern Trembath, Ian Houston and Richard Stone.

This year, close to 1300 artworks from various emerging and renowned artists will be exhibited. The artwork will range from traditional to contemporary styles and cover all mediums. All paintings will be up for sale with the proceeds going to the Rotary Club of Camberwell trust fund.

Image: Jan Doust

The 2014 Camberwell Art Show will be formally launched with a special preview and an official opening event from 7pm onwards on Friday 27 June. Both events will take place at the ATC Building, Swinburne University, Burwood Road, Hawthorn. The show will then remain open to the public until Sunday 6 July 2014.

The Opening Night is a ticketed event only and can be booked online here.

For general admission tickets, the Rotary Club is kindly offering Australian Design Review readers a two for one deal.

Rotary is an international organisation of over 1.2 million business, professional and community leaders, who help raise funds for various humanitarian causes and community-based services.