The Rotary Art Award, Queensland’s largest art show is back in 2023. With a refreshed new look and name, the award continues with the same values and community focus we know and trust.
Following on from the amazing efforts of the Brisbane Rotary Clubs from previous years, which raised almost $2 million for the Brisbane Rotary community projects and local charity partners. The 41st edition of the award will feature prominent and up and coming Australian artists, carefully selected by the Curator, and exhibited in Brisbane CBD. Exhibition artworks are for sale and all profits go directly to the not-for-profit Rotary Clubs to continue their community work. We are looking forward to bringing you the new and revamped award.
Image from the 1990 Rotary Art Spectacular at Carindale
Rotary Clubs exist for the development of service through community and international projects simply to enhance and improve people’s lives and their communities. The three Rotary clubs involved in staging this Art Show have impressive records of community and development service, including very strong commitments to youth through support for the many Youth programs offered by Rotary. Below is a summary of current commitments:
The membership of Rotary clubs is comprised of people who endeavour to follow “Service above Self”, encouraging the promotion of high ethical standards in business and the professions being one of the primary objectives of all Rotary clubs.
In addition to the targeted recipients of the Art Show success, the following are just a few community projects recently completed or in progress by these three Rotary clubs:
• Disaster relief grants for Ukrainians settled in Australia, and aid to the
civilian population in Ukraine.
• Support of Rotary disaster relief grants for flood victims within Australia.
• Ride West, a biennial bike ride from Brisbane to Longreach raising
money for mental health support programs for regional Queenslanders.
• Support for the Royal Flying Doctor Service
• Support for Breast Cancer programs
• Support for domestic violence shelters/refuges and DV Safe Phones.
• Youth programs in SE Queensland focused on engaging and promoting young people with our communities, i.e. National Youth Science Forum.
Through Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation, and Rotary clubs around the world, the most significant single project worldwide has been the provision of funding and volunteers to eradicate polio myelitis. In the late 1980’s there were typically 350,000 new cases of polio each year around the world. Now, there are just a few new cases each year in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Partnering with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, other philanthropic bodies and the United Nations, this is an effort to eradicate a disease!
Other great work making a difference in the lives of people and carried out with funding from the Rotary Foundation and clubs include programs against malaria and other insidious diseases in the countries geographically close to Australia.
The Rotary Foundation also provides funding for Peace Fellowships to allow post-graduate studies in peace and conflict resolution at six universities around the world. The University of Queensland is one of these six institutions.