A total of 47 finalists have been selected for the Zonta Ashburton Women’s Art Awards, which will be exhibited at Rokowhiria, the Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum, in March.

There were 84 entries in the awards this year and 24 artists have been short-listed for the Premier Award, and 23 for the Young Generation Award.

The awards seek to raise the status of women artists and their contributions to the greater art scene. The awards are aligned with the values of Zonta International, which exists to advance the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy.

Once again, a high calibre of artwork was submitted for the awards and work is underway to bring the exhibition to life in early March.

The Premier Award finalists are:

Jane Bowman, Karen Boyce, Marie Celeste Lawrence, Gina Coatsworth, Scarlett Giffin Munn, Polly Gilroy, Cath Grant, Kate Henry Cairns, Katharina Jaeger, Ina Johann, Shiyavanti Johnpillai, Viktoria Karaman, Rachael Linton, Suzanne McDonnell, Kate McIntyre, Allette Ockhuysen, Miranda Parkes, Rachel Ratten, Jan Robertson, Anne Spicer, Rebecca Stewart, Vicki Truman, Shannon Williamson, Sophie Wood.

The Young Generations Award finalists are:

Yuen Ghale, Kait Banks, Kiy Boddington, Marley Celedonio, Jesse Dowers, Chaz Fowler, Lilian Graham, Madeline Hann, Reka Harvey, Ava Kelly, Rose Langford, Taylah Latham, Ruby-May Maddock, Rosie Major, Emma Marshall, Freya Marshall, Lily Morrison-Clarke, Zara Murison, Julia Ngugen, Charlotte Oliver, Katelyn Papnefus, Jessmyn Punongbayan, Georgia Swale.

Judges this year are curator of art at Oamaru’s Forrester Gallery, Anna McLean; former head of the Dunedin School of Arts, Dr Bridie Lonie; and established practising artist Kim Pieters.

Award winners will be announced at the exhibition opening on Friday, 6 March at 7pm at Rokowhiria. Coinciding with the awards ceremony is the opening of a solo exhibition by Julia Holderness, last year’s Premier Award winner.

Both exhibitions will run until 19 April.

As with other years, a People’s Choice Award will be open to visitors to vote for their favourite work.

A generous grant from NZ Creative Communities has enabled the creation of a free catalogue which will include details on all the finalists, along with judges’ and sponsors’ profiles.

ZAWAA26 is proudly supported by Zonta Ashburton, CNZ Creative Communities Grant, Forsyth Barr, Bushey Park Trust, Tricroft Properties, ANZ Bank, Kate Murney, Everist Gilchrist Lawyers, Liquorland Racecourse Road, The Rabbit, Samantha Rose Flowers, and Barker's Foodstore & Eatery.