Hazelhurst Regional Gallery and Arts Centre has been honoured in the 2017 IMAGinE awards presented by Museums and Galleries of NSW.
The awards recognise innovation and excellence in 500 museums, galleries and Aboriginal cultural centres across NSW.
There were 76 nominations representing the best of regional and metropolitan NSW visual arts and cultural heritage experiences.
The 2017 winners were announced at the awards night at the Australian Museum last Friday.
Hazelhurst won in the Exhibition Projects category for the Nganampa Kililpil: Our Stars - Art from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunyjatjara (APY) Lands exhibition held earlier this year.
The exhibition attracted more than 20,000 people to Hazelhurst making it one of the best attended exhibitions in the gallery’s 16 year history.
Nganampa Kililpil: Our Stars was produced in partnership with artists from the APY Lands in remote South Australia, was the first major exhibition bringing over 100 artists from the seven major APY Lands art centres together.
It was the first major survey of artists from the APY Lands held in Australia, and the most significant and ambitious exhibition of Indigenous art held at the Hazelhurst Regional Gallery and Arts Centre.
The project was developed in direct partnership with the artists. This collaboration resulted in an overwhelming community response. It gave the APY Lands and artists invaluable exposure with strong media coverage and ensured major artworks were acquired by state gallery collections.