Crescendo25 Artist Book Award is non-acquisitive and $5,000 will be awarded to the winning entry and $1,000 to the best entry by a local artist from the Wollongong LGA. Applications were open to artists living in Australia and the Asia Pacific, By the deadline of 1 August, 91 artist books had been received.

The 61 finalists were announced on 16 September.

The finalists are: Adrian Lockhart, Anita Johnson, Anne Langdon, August Carpenter, Avril Makula, Barb Hart, Bonita (Bonny) Shore, Bronwyn Rees, Caroline Sheehan, Claire Brach, Cecile Galiazzo, Danielle Creenaune, Diane Longley, Diana Wood Conroy, Eileen Dillon-Smith, Fiona Davey, Fran Ifould, Gail Stiffe, Graham Blondel, Gemelle Madigan, Gillian Richards, Hannah Parker, Jan Davis, Jan Palethorpe, Jo Oliver, Judy Barrass, Julie Mia Holmes, Julie Bradley, Katharine Nix, Karen Neal, Laura Castell, Lesley Kane, Lisa Sewards, Liz Farrell, Liz Powell, Lizzie Nagy, Lynne Johns, Marama Warren, Megan Dixon-Dawes, Megan Edwards, Monica Oppen & Peter Lyssiotis, Natasha Palich, Pablo Alvarez Grover, Pam Slattery, Peter Ward, Rachel Dun, Gina Piroska, Ro Murray, Robyn Foster, Roz Kean, Ruth Thompson, Sandra Pearce, Sandra Williams, Sharon Peoples, Silvi Glattauer, Slavica Zivkovic, Sue Pogglioli, Tina Pech, Trish Yates and Tori de Mestre.

Their 62 selected works will be will be judged by acclaimed book artist, Dianne Fogwell, who will select the overall winning artist book and the best artist book by a local artist. The Award recipients will be announced at the opening. The exhibition will be on show at Clifton School of Arts from 15 to 30 November 2025.

Crescendo25 Artist Book Award and associated program are supported by Wollongong City Council, Culture Bank Wollongong and our volunteers and donors.

Crescendo25 Artist Book Award builds on the success of Prelude Artists’ Books Now, an exhibition which showcased 52 unique artists books at Clifton School of Arts in November 2023. Enthusiastically received by nearly 400 people, Prelude Artists’ Books Now enjoyed national media coverage, introducing new audiences to the contemporary art form of artist’s books, and generating interest in a two-day workshop facilitated by the curators in June 2024.

To see images from the Prelude Artists’ Books Now exhibition, and learn more about artist books and the curatorial team, read this ABC Article about the Prelude Exhibition.

We would appreciate any support you can provide to the Crescendo 2025 Award, so if you are able, please Donate here.