The annual Clancy Prize exhibition is open to all Sydney Catholic Schools’ secondary students. It is a celebration of our students’ creativity and spirituality, expressed through visual arts, inspired by Cardinal Edward Clancy.

“Religion and art have been closely related from earliest times. Art has always been at the service of religion and religion at the service of art.
At a time when our society seems to be losing its civilising values, religious art is a powerful force in the service of humanity.”

– Cardinal Edward Clancy, 2009

2021 Clancy Prize theme

The theme of the 2021 exhibition is: Celebrating 200 Years of Catholic Education in Australia.

Student and teacher participation is encouraged in this exhibition. It will be a very practical way for them to mark and celebrate the bicentenary of Catholic education in Australia and, most importantly, it will provide an opportunity for them to use their gifts and talents.

The creative arts are very important, as they enable us to encounter what is good, true and beautiful. In Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis wrote: “Proclaiming Christ means showing that to believe in and to follow him is not only something right and true, but also something beautiful, capable of filling life with new splendor and profound joy, even in the midst of difficulties. Every expression of true beauty can thus be acknowledged as a path leading to an encounter with the Lord Jesus” (n.167).

The Clancy Prize

  • $2,000 awarded to the winning student (individual or Collaborative) by the Executive Director Mr Tony Farley

The Monsignor Doherty Prize

  • Stage 4 Individual prize $1,000
  • Stage 4 Collaborative prize $1, 000

Brian Jordan Prize

  • Stage 5 Individual prize $1,000
  • Stage 5 Collaborative prize $1, 000

Br Kelvin Canavan Prize

  • Stage 6 Individual/ Collaborative prize $1,000

Packing Room Prize – $250

ACU School of Arts and Sciences award – $250

ACU School of Education award – $250

Sponsors’ award – $250

  • Friday, 12 February 2021 – due date for Outline of Schools Exhibits application
  • Monday, 1 May 2021 – due date Artist’s Statement, Condition of Entry and Display Cards
  • Friday, 14 May 2021 – due date Submission of work
  • Friday, 21 May 2021 – Prize awarded for The Clancy Prize Religious Art Exhibition Opening Night
  • Monday, 1 June – Thursday, 4 June 2021 – The Collection of Artworks

The exhibition is being held at McGlade Gallery, Strathfield Campus (ACU).

The exhibition formally opens on Friday, 21 May at 6:00p.m. The exhibition which can be viewed from Monday to Saturday from 11.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m., will remain open until Sunday, 30 May 2021.

School groups are encouraged to visit the exhibition.

For bookings:

Please contact Diane Merrilees at ACU

Ivanka Rancic, Sydney Catholic Schools