Competition Categories
Australian Wearable Art Festival Awards, Categories And Judging Process
Welcome to the Australian Wearable Art Festival, where creativity knows no bounds and art transcends traditional boundaries. In this document, we present an overview of the diverse categories and awards that form the heart of our festival.
Competition Categories and Prizes
With $15,000 prize pool, the Australian Wearable Art Festival is Australia’s pre-eminent wearable art competition attracting national and international artists. Each finalist must choose one of the following 4 main categories to enter the event and there will be one winner and a runner-up awarded for each of these categories.
Competition Categories and Prizes
Trashion | Prize: $1500
A combination of fashion and trash. This category repurposes discarded items or objects we may consider trash and brings them to life in a creation that is original, innovative and inspiring. This wearable art entry will ideally heighten awareness of the waste we generate in our everyday lives and will draw attention to the endless possibilities for reusing and up-cycling. This entry must be at least 80% legitimately upcycled trash.
Key words for this category are:
Disrupt – Deconstruct – Pull Apart – Connect – Build New – Repurpose – Intrigue – Delight
Elements of Nature | Prize $1500
Drawing inspiration from our natural surrounds and the forces that shape our world – earth, water, air and fire. This category invites the artist to celebrate the earth and its bountiful gifts, the water that nourishes all life, the oceans that ebb and flow with the tides, the air we breathe and the winds that fill our sails, and the fire that warms and transforms, embodying the spirit of renewal and resilience. This category embodies the essence of these elements, creating wearable art that honours the cycles of nature and our connection to the environment in all its forms. Whilst we encourage sustainability, any materials can be used.
Key words for this category are:
Cyclical – Environment – Explore – Movement – Connected
Abstract Form | Prize $1500
Whether fluid or structured, organic or geometric, this category explores the abstract shape not influenced by the human form. This is a call to explore the boundaries and experiment with how shapes can convey movement, stillness, strength, or grace.
Whether your creation embodies the flowing curves of water or the rigid angles of architecture, let your imagination sculpt the space around the body, crafting a wearable masterpiece that speaks through its silhouette. No material restrictions.
Key words for this category are:
Innovative – Expressionism – Modern – Challenge – Unexpected
Avant-garde | Prize $1500
This is the ‘New World’. Let’s push the boundaries and step into what we do not know. Designs challenging the traditional aesthetic, unexpected materials and striking silhouettes. It’s ‘Style beyond Fashion’, embracing experimentation but telling the world a story so important to hear. This wearable art creation will take us into an infinite world of possibilities – a journey that challenges our perceptions of where fashion ends and art begins. This category has no limits on new, reused or natural materials – the world is your oyster!
Key words for this category are:
Bold – Provoke – Surprise – Spectacular – Intrigue – Unconventional – Drama
Supreme Award $5000 + article
This is our main award – our ‘Best in Show’ and the winner could be from any category. Different from previous years, a category award-holder will not be automatically awarded the Supreme title.
Innovation Award | $1000
This award is for those who dare to venture beyond the conventional, experimenting with new techniques, materials, and concepts. Whether through cutting-edge technology, lighting or movement, unique construction methods, or unexpected applications, we seek works that redefine what wearable art can be.
People’s Choice Award | $500
This hugely popular award is voted on by our audience members.
Sustainable Award | $1000
This award is for the artist who displays a commitment to sustainability in their creative process, through the use of eco-friendly materials, and ethical practices, with at least 80% organic natural materials being used in the final piece. Textile and Fibre $500 plus article in Textile Fibre Forum magazine This category honours the artistry and craftsmanship of textiles and fibres, celebrating their versatility and tactile beauty. Whether woven, knitted, felted, or stitched, this is a space for artists to explore the endless possibilities of fabric and fibre. We invite you to experiment with texture, pattern, and form, using traditional techniques or innovative.
Textile and Fibre $500 + article
This category honours the artistry and craftsmanship of textiles and fibres, celebrating their versatility and tactile beauty. Whether woven, knitted, felted, or stitched, this is a space for artists to explore the endless possibilities of fabric and fibre. We invite you to experiment with texture, pattern, and form, using traditional techniques or innovative.
Emerging Wearable Artist | $1000
Many of our artists are experimenting with wearable art for the first time and for this we applaud you. No matter what artistic background you have come from, if this is your first exhibited wearable art piece, you will be in with a chance for winning this award.
Youth Award | $500
Australian Wearable Art Festival has a commitment to nurturing young talent and this award is given to our standout artist who will be between 16-25 years on 8 August 2025.