Last year’s Waste to Art Competition in Orange was the biggest yet and organisers are hoping to see just how creative people can get again this year as the competition goes online.

Isolation measures due to the coronavirus pandemic have meant the competitions’ exhibition venue, the Orange Public Library, is closed to the public. But organisers are keen to see Waste to Art continue and are working on plans to take the exhibition online.

“We are figuring out what online platform will work best at the moment, but I think it is really important to hold the competition this year because everyone is stuck in their houses and this is a way of the community still connecting to each other— and also a boredom buster,” said Waste to Art committee member Kate Willoughby.

Waste to Art, an initiative of Netwaste, is a community art exhibition and competition where all the creative works are made from reused and recyclable waste materials.

Entry is open to primary school and high school aged children, community members and professional artists, in 2D, 3D and Functional categories.

This year’s theme is steel and aluminium cans, but the works can be made using any recycled waste product.

Kate said that with so many people stuck at home, she is expecting to see creativity shine.

“It’s when you get really creative, you've got time to be innovative with the materials that are in front of you, the waste materials, because you have a lot of time and energy and enthusiasm for it!”  she said.

“We hope that due to the artworks being made from waste/recycled materials, that the message about using everything we have in times of 'lack' will highlight to people, just how many resources they actually do have that they didn't realise were there! And how adaptable and innovative we all can be in times of crisis!”

Given the situation we are all in, Kate said the prizes will arranged to support local businesses in this tough time.

“We've got a budget for prizes, but we want to make it so that there are businesses in town who will benefit, just so the local economy will get a boost,” she said.

For an entry form or information on the Waste to Art competition you can contact Kate on 0414 081 669 or email Orangeeco@hotmail.com

Information can also be found on her Facebook page ‘Orange Eco’.