Operation Art

Region: all | Statewide
Kindergarten to Year 10

Operation Art is an initiative of The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in association with the New South Wales Department of Education. The program includes exhibitions, workshops and professional learning opportunities in visual arts for teachers and students from all schools in NSW.

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kids Westmead logo

Operation Art will be moving into an exciting new model for our exhibition program!

Heading into 2024, our goal is to represent students and schools across the state, celebrating their creative achievements in the most equitable and accessible ways possible.

All artwork entries received by schools this year will be exhibited in galleries across NSW in 2025, according to the regions where the students’ schools are located. This will provide easier access for schools and families to attend opening celebrations, workshop programs and hospital artwork donations in galleries closer to their hometowns, enabling more of our students to see their work on display.

As always, a team of judges will select 50 artworks to be gifted to the Children’s Hospital at Westmead and these works will continue to be displayed at the Art Gallery of NSW annually, as well as being displayed in their local gallery in the larger exhibitions.

 

2025 exhibition locations and dates

(Opening ceremony dates will vary. All students and schools will receive invitations to their specific exhibition before the end of this year.)

Western NSW and Riverina regions: Cowra Regional Art Gallery 6 April – 4 May 2025

Illawarra and South Coast regions: Ngununggula Art Gallery, Bowral 12 April – 15 June 2025

Sydney regions: Fairfield City Museum and Gallery 24 May – 19 July 2025

Hunter and Central Coast regions: Singleton Arts and Culture Centre 16 August – 2 November 2025

New England and North Coast regions: Tamworth Regional Gallery 30 August – 19 October 2025

 

So what will change

  • Artworks will no longer be displayed at Sydney Olympic Park Armory Gallery but will be displayed in an exhibition schedule across the year in various NSW galleries, similar to the ARTEXPRESS exhibition model.
  • The Touring 50 will now be called the Hospital 50.
  • Sydney-based schools will be able to submit up to 2 artworks (individual or collaborative works) to be included in the exhibition. The Armory Gallery is no longer available to us as a space, so we need to reduce the number of artworks displayed to accommodate gallery sizes. The Sydney region constitutes more than 50% (400 artworks) of the annual exhibition so we need to reduce this to fit into alternative gallery spaces.
  • To encourage greater participation by schools outside of the Sydney Metropolitan area, regional, rural and remote schools will be able to submit up to 6 artworks (individual or collaborative works) to be included in the exhibition. Our regions will now have the opportunity to be represented at localised regional galleries showcasing as many local student works as possible.

 

And what remains the same

  • The Hospital 50 will be displayed at the Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick AND Schools Spectacular SpecFest before being gifted to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
  • Every single artwork submitted will be framed and exhibited in a gallery exhibition.
  • Each gallery exhibition will host a special opening ceremony.
  • Each school and student will receive an opening ceremony pack with certificates, printed invitation, lanyard and congratulatory letter.
  • Exhibition catalogues will be printed and available for all participating schools and students.
  • Artwork reproductions will be available for purchase by schools and families.

 

We look forward to receiving your artwork entries this year for display in a gallery near you in 2025!

 


 

2024 entry details

2024 applications now closed.

  • Applications close – extension until 21 June 2024.
  • Each Sydney-based school will be able to submit up to 2 artworks
  • Each regional, rural and remote school will be able to submit up to 6 artworks
  • Each artwork can be created by an individual student or be a collaboration by up to 4 students in Kindergarten to Year 10.

How to submit your student's artwork

  1. Download a copy of the artwork release form (PDF 595.49 KB) and have the parent/guardian of the student fill in and return to the school to post with each artwork.
  2. Label the back of each artwork with the name of the student and your school. Please use a pencil so that the artwork isn't damaged. Up to A2-sized works are accepted and up to 5mm deep.
  3. Post the artwork release form, paper clipped to the back of each artwork to Operation Art – The Arts Unit, Corner Toothill St and The Boulevarde, Lewisham 2049.

Payment

  • Government schools are charged $100 for each artwork entry and this will be directly debited to your school.
  • Non-government schools will be charged $140 per artwork entry and payment must be made via the payment portal.

Curatorial brief

As some exhibited works will eventually be hung at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, we ask that special consideration be given to ensure that the artwork submitted is uplifting and does not contain material that could be considered culturally sensitive in nature.

Ivy Baddock, Art Curator, The Children's Hospital at Westmead

Why participate in Operation Art?

  • All student artworks are framed and exhibited in a NSW gallery.
  • More than 10,000 visitors from across the state view the exhibitions.
  • At least 120 works are selected for further exhibition opportunities.
  • The selected 50 works are given to the Children's Hospital at Westmead.
  • Students discover purpose in artmaking by creating art to help children in hospital.
  • You can start your own gallery at school when the framed works are returned.
  • All students are recognised with printed certificates, invitations and catalogues.
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exhibition

 

All Arts Units programs are inclusive. If support is required to participate in Operation Art, please email opart.artsunit@det.nsw.edu.au so we can assist.