Karoonda's Silo Art has taken out the top gong at the 2020 Australian Street Art Awards - a national art tourism program.
After being announced the winner of the Best Mega Mural category at the awards on the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday night, Karoonda then went on to win the top gong - the 2020 Best of the Best Award.
The Best of the Best is determined by the highest cumulative score from all category winners.
Karoonda nudged out Flinders Ranges Council's Quorn Silo Light Show, which took the Silver in the Best Mega Mural category, and Bronze winner Yelarbon Graincorp Silo Art, nominated by Qld's Goondiwindi Regional Council.
The Australian Street Art Awards encourages Australians to explore the world-class street and public art that is safely accessible all year round and found in every corner of the country.
With rigorous judging by tourism leaders from across Australia and abroad, plus second-tier auditing and due diligence, District Council of Karoonda East Murray's win has the credence of the art tourism sector.
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The judges said: "This mural by day and light show by night project is contributing significantly to making Australia a more vibrant, creative and interesting country - somewhere visitors will want to explore more keenly".
Awards director Liz Rivers said Australia had a long history of creating superlative public art that captivated visitors.
"Until these awards though, there had never been a way of rewarding and supporting places like Karoonda that created these art-related experiences for travellers," she said.
The Karoonda mural was painted by Melbourne-based street artist Heesco Khosnaran, while the digital artworks are managed by the Karoonda East Murray Council and feature themed exhibitions which change about once a month.
The judges also remarked: "Even though this mural and projection combination is an Australian first, we love that Karoonda did not sit back on its laurels and instead continues to find exciting ways to extend, expand and promote the street art project, such joining the SA Living Artists Festival in August".
The other award winners include:
- Best External Mural: Kapunda Lucas Street Mural, Kapunda SA .
- Best Landmark Sculpture: 'Language of the Land", Eidsvold Qld.
- Best Metropolitan Art: Mindeerup Public Art, South Perth WA.
- Best Monument or Memorial: Gallipoli to Armistice Memorial, Maryborough, Qld.
- Best Rural Art: Yelarbon Graincorp Silo Art, Yelarbon Qld.
- Best Sculpture Park or Trail: Utes in the Paddock, Condobolin NSW.
- Best Street Art Trail: Heesco Town - Yarram, Vic.
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