Changing Perspectives 2025

MSWPS 116th Annual Exhibition
24 September - 5 October, 2025
430 Albert Street, East Melbourne

Wine Vessel 5 - Kate Howard

On the last weekend of May 1905 MSWPS artists held their first exhibition, coordinated by  Tina Gowdie, Annie Gates, Daisy Stone and Heloise Trahair. 

120 years later, the society celebrates the Anniversary of their progressive planning, that instigated female only exhibitions throughout the 20th century and beyond. 

Changing Perspectives is the 116th Annual Exhibition featuring a broad range of medium, and subjects created by members during the past two years.

MSWPS is delighted that Kelly Gellatly, Chair of the Sheila Foundation, and Joanna Bosse, Curator at Bayside Gallery, will Judge and select award recipients.

Eileen Mackley AM will be interviewed by Ron Smith OAM about the restoration of the Victorian Artists Society Heritage Building on Wednesday 1 October.

In addition to the exhibition, visitors can attend live artist demonstrations on:

  • Sunday 28 September – Kate Howard

  • Saturday 4 October – Jan Martin

We acknowledge our Sponsors and their generous support:
Ron Smith OAM & Senior Art Supplies.

 

Key dates

1 August: Entries open

7 September: Entries close

23 September: Deliver works for exhibition from 10am to midday

24 September: Judging

24 September: Open to public

25 September: Official opening at the Victorian Artists Society Galleries, 430 Albert St East Melbourne at 7 - 9pm

1 October: Eileen Mackley AM in discussion with Ron Smith OAM

5 October: Exhibition closes

6 October: Pick up works from 10am to 2pm

  • Kelly Gellatly

    Chair, Sheila Foundation

    Kelly Gellatly is an experienced arts leader, advocate, curator and writer. She has curated more than 50 exhibitions of the work of leading Australian and international artists and has published extensively on contemporary art, Australian modernism and photographic practice. She was Director of the Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne from 2013-2020; Curator of Contemporary Art at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne from 2003-2013, and has held curatorial positions at Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne and the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.

  • Joanna Bosse

    Curator, Bayside Gallery

    Joanna Bosse has been Curator of Bayside Gallery since 2016. She has held curatorial roles at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne, Queensland Art Gallery and in 2010 was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to research the collaborative ways in which museums work with indigenous artists and their communities in the United States and Canada.

 

VAS Heritage Building Restoration

Eileen Mackley interview with Ron Smith OAM
Wednesday 1 October 1:30

Followed by Devonshire Tea

Their interview follows a timeline of the restoration of the Victorian Artists Society heritage building. They will include a series of slides showing the decay and water damage the building had incurred over many years of neglect. The four years, $2.5M restoration was successfully completed in 2020 under the guidance of the then President, Eileen Mackley AM.

The 2024 winners

  • Anne Finkelde, Silver Ladies Nocturne

    The Annie Davison Oliver Award

    Anne Finkelde, Silver Ladies Nocturne

    Annie Davison Oliver was a long serving Treasurer and benefactor of MSWPS for nearly seven decades. She lived to the age of 94 with creativity her driving force. MSWPS established this award in recognition of Annie’s dedication, talents and generosity.

  • Kate Howard, Wine Vessel 5

    The Valda Cuming Sculpture Award

    Kate Howard, Wine Vessel 5

    Valda Cuming OAM was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for services to the arts in 2019. She served on the MSWPS committee for many of the 25 years she was a member. Valda was widely recognised for her sculptural talents in a range of materials including wood, ceramic and stone. MSWPS established the Valda Cuming Sculpture Award in 2020 in recognition of her inspirational career, her services to the Society and her impressive artistic achievements.

  • Carole Milton, Temptation

    The Judith Perry Award for Oil/Acrylic

    Carole Milton, Temptation

    Judith was a stalwart of MSWPS since joining in 1961. She was an esteemed Life Member holding every office including president, treasurer and secretary. she edited The Bulletin for many years and contributed witty and insightful poems. She also prepared 'The Jood Quiz' for Winter and Christmas Luncheons and attended weekly Life Drawing sessions.

  • Jo Reitze, Wetlands

    The Jo Bennett Award for Works on Paper

    Jo Reitze, Wetlands

    An esteemed Life Member, Jo Bennett joined the Society in 1975. She worked in various capacities on the committee throughout the 1980s and 1990s and was Life Drawing monitor until late in the next decade. She was committed to fostering innovation and inquiry.

  • The MSWPS Award

    Janine Good, Walk in the Wetlands, Oil on Canvas

    The MSWPS award goes to the artist whose work gets the most votes from members whose works are also exhibited.

  • Highly Commended

    Sarah Anthony, Untitled Oil On Canvas

  • Angeline Bartholemeusz, Deconstructed

    Highly Commended

    Angeline Bartholemeusz, Deconstructed

  • Sue Jarvis, Servicing An R.A.A.F Hudson Bomber 1942

    Highly Commended

    Sue Jarvis, Servicing An R.A.A.F Hudson Bomber 1942

  • Lisa O'Keefe, Window Wish

    Highly Commended

    Lisa O'Keefe, Window Wish

Exhibition entries

Click the artworks to find out more. Artist names have been temporarily removed for judging.

 

  • Email us using the 'Enquire' button in an artwork. If available, MSWPS will provide you with banking details.

    Though many works are framed, they are presented uniformly unframed in the exhibition. The measurement displayed is the size of the unframed artwork.

    Artworks can be collected from Victorian Artists Society Galleries, 430 Albert Street, East Melbourne on Monday 6 October from 10am - 2pm.

    If you want to commission a work or view others by an artist, please get in touch with the artist via their profile.

Are you a full member? Enter our annual exhibition today.

 

Just log into your member portal and fill out the exhibition submission entry form.