The Fivex Foundation has joined forces with digital billboard operator QMS Media in calling for Australian artists from all fields to reimagine one of Melbourne’s most prestigious digital billboards as a giant art canvas, for the opportunity to win $30,000 and be showcased to over 250,000 Melbournians each day.
In its first year, the Fivex Art Prize will challenge Australian artists across the country to create conceptually and visually distinctive art that will see the billboard re-imagined into a giant digital street art canvas.
Fivex Art Prize creative producer Alessio Cavallaro said that advertising and art share a steeped history – most famously, the 1950’s commercial advertising art of Andy Warhol, and James Rosenquist’s Los Angeles billboards.
“The Fivex Art Prize challenges artists to expand the scope of public art by directly embedding their work within the urban media space”, said Cavallaro.
Entrants are asked to design artwork for the two billboards at Melbourne Square – a horizontal corner ‘wrap’, and an adjacent vertical ‘podium’ – that will be conceptually related across both sites.
The works will be displayed on QMS’ Melbourne Square digital billboard located at the corner of Flinders and Elizabeth streets.
QMS chief marketing officer Sara Lappage said the partnership with the Fivex Foundation provides an opportunity for the out of home industry to re-connect with the arts and engage with community.
“We are thrilled to be the major partner of the Fivex Foundation for this inaugural billboard art award, and we are keen to see what Australian artists nationally can create for such a powerful canvas in the heart of Melbourne,” said Lappage.
QMS will be running a national call for entries campaign across its national network of digital locations throughout December and January with entries closing 20th January 2020.
The finalists and winner will be announced in March 2020 and then displayed on QMS’ iconic Melbourne Square Digital Billboard location at the corner of Flinders and Elizabeth streets.
Full terms and conditions of entry to the Fivex Art Prize can be found here: www.fivexartprize.com.au