Entries for Georges River Council's biennial Georges River Art Prize open on July 1.
With more than $20,000 in prize money, the awards are hosted by the Hurstville Museum and Gallery.
The Georges River Art Prize showcases a range of the finest paintings and sculptures produced from artists nationwide.
It also gives local young artists a platform to exhibit their works.
Georges River Council Mayor Kevin Greene said that as a part of this year's prize there are seven categories including the acquisitive Georges River Art Prize for painting which offers a prize of $10,000.
There is also a Georges River Sculpture Prize of $5,000.
"Entrants who enter the Georges River Art Prize for painting and live in the Georges
River Council Local Government Area are eligible to be considered for the Georges
River Local Artist Prize," Councillor Greene said.
"The Local Artist Prize winner will receive a $4,000 prize and the opportunity to have a solo exhibition at Hurstville Museum and Gallery in the Dragon's Lair Gallery.
"To exhibit and encourage young artists there are two categories including the Georges River Little Artist Prize for 7 to 12 year olds and the Georges River Youth Prize for 13 to17 year olds, with winners receiving a voucher prize of $200 and $300 respectively.
"Council is keen to encourage participation in the arts by people of all ages, and all skill levels, and the Georges River Art Prize presents a wonderful opportunity for artists to gain exposure of their work," Cr Greene said.
The Georges River Art Prize will be judged by Michael Hedger, Christopher Hodges and Anne Ryan.
Michael Hedger has been Director of Manly Art Gallery and Museum since 2012 and has previously worked at Manly Council, the Australian National Maritime Museum and Campbelltown Arts Centre. He was also the Deputy Director of The British Council in Australia and art critic for The Newcastle Herald.
Christopher Hodges is an artist who has exhibited consistently in solo and group exhibitions since 1978.
His paintings, sculptures and prints are included in many private and public collections and he remains an active participant in the visual arts community.
In 1988 Christopher opened Utopia Art Sydney, a gallery that began showing Indigenous and non-Indigenous contemporary art side-by-side, and which continues today in the same spirit.
Anne Ryan is Curator of Australian Prints, Drawings and Watercolours at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
She studied at the Universities of Sydney and New South Wales, and was the Sarah and William Holmes Scholar in the Department of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum in 2001-02.
She was the curator of the 2014 and 2016 Dobell Australian drawing biennial exhibitions Drawing out and Close to home and curator of the annual Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes in 2015, 2017 and 2018. Her most recent exhibition was Brett Whiteley, Drawing is everything at the AGNSW in 2018-19.
Georges River Art Prize entries close at midnight, Friday 30 August 2019.
For more information and to apply visit www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au/GRAP