MEDIA RELEASE

29/06/2024

Marc Wasiak Foundation announces winner of a
$10,000 Diverse Creative Award

Andrew Delaney Wins Inaugural Marc Wasiak Fellowship

In its inaugural year, the Marc Wasiak Foundation announces Andrew Delaney as the 2024 Winner of the $10,000 Fellowship Grant to assist his creative endeavours and help carve a successful creative career path that will establish industry recognition and success.

About the Fellowship

The Mark Wasiak Foundation was formed by Chair, fellow 30-year collaborator, and internationally award-winning photographer Gerard O’Connor together with design advocate and leading academic in Australian creative industries, Karen Webster. It is a not-for-profit organisation formed to honour the legacy and pays tribute to the Late Marc Wasiak, a creative luminary whose endearing practices spanned across fashion, styling, and art during his stellar career.

A panel of esteemed judges ranging from the creative sectors of the fashion and arts industries were tasked by the Foundation to evaluate over one hundred entries of exciting ideas across unique design practices by emerging talent. Judges short listed six Finalists including Alexandre Dubois, Bon Mott, Chilali Weller, Erik Yvon and Mae Hartrick and chose the ultimate 2024 winner, Andrew Delaney (Instagram @annodominihome @andrew_delaney_artist).

Andrew will be granted $10,000 as well as resource support by LCI Melbourne including access to studios, library, and a space to further develop his creative ideas, alongside mentoring support from a network of highly regarded industry members.

A creative and versatile artist, Andrew has expertise in creating and producing thoughtful and intriguing artworks and experiences. For the Fellowship, he proposes to undertake the project ‘Frankenstein’ - a travelling costume and props exhibition that will be expanded and adapted to suit the various locations.

The Late Marc Wasiak was a highly creative and renowned artistic talent that was committed to mentor and support emerging creatives and the broader design and arts community, which led to the Foundation being formed in his name by fellow industry members that revered his work as a respected artistic talent and integral community member.

Unique to Australia, the Marc Wasiak Foundation will grant a Fellowship annually to an emerging creative from a variety of design fields whose essence is to positively disrupt and challenge traditional artistic practices and deliver unique and innovative works.  

Each year, the Foundation entrants need to display an innate artistic ability and fashion sensibility, alongside a dedicated passion to create work that will stoke curiosity and a new way of thinking that will innovate the industry. 

There are no specific outcome requirements by the Foundation to award the winner with the $10,000 grant to allow the emerging creatives to venture on an exploratory journey of discovery to elevate their ideas, whilst having mentoring and resource support throughout.

The Marc Wasiak Foundation has been generously supported by Gold Sponsor LCI Melbourne, a leading art and design institute as part of the LCI Education Network. LCI has over 65 years of experience in training and educating students from all over the world across a range of programs in art and design, fashion and costume design, visual arts, graphic and digital design, interior design, photography, and filmmaking.

The inaugural Marc Wasiak Foundation Fellowship was eagerly embraced by a wide range of creative communities based locally and internationally thanks to the relationships that Marc had cultivated throughout his many years working across the fashion and art sectors.

This year’s Official judges included highly revered industry members.

Gerard O'Connor and Marc Wasiak were lifelong creative partners and soulmates and an award-winning team of dynamic artists. Gerard, a photographer set and film maker; Marc wardrobe, prop and set designer. They have made massive and complex tabloid of work together lasting over 30 years. Imagery receiving acclaim in Australia and internationally. Both worked commercially in fashion and styling giving them skills to make thought provoking, awarded artworks.

Esteemed Judges: 

Clive Scott AM (Sofitel Arts) 

Janice Breen Burns (Fashion Editor) 

Daniel Boeter Smith (Director CCP)

Advisor

Dr Alasdair Foster (Writer Award Winning Curator)

Janice Breen Burns 

A veteran Fashion Editor (The Age/Sydney Morning Herald, Herald Sun, Geelong Advertiser) and former Director of Melbourne Fashion Festival. Current Founder/Editor of fashion webzine Voxfrock, Founder/Organiser of fashion industry group FashLab, Media Commentator, Fashion Industry Judge, Presenter & Facilitator at industry discussion panels and mentorships and masterclass programmes for emerging journalists including Voxfrock Rookies. 

Clive Scott (AM)

Retired General Manager of Sofitel Melbourne On Collins who positioned the Hotel property to be the support of the arts in Melbourne through the initiation and management of extensive partnerships and sponsorships. He is now official Sofitel Ambassador for the Arts – Australia, active member of Melbourne’s business and arts community, Chairman of the Melbourne Prize and the Georges Mora Fellowship, Chairman of Judges for the 2024 Melbourne Awards, Board Member of the Oceania Foundation and The Museum of Australian Photography, Member of the Hope Street Youth and Family Services Corporate Advisory Board, Chairman of the Finucane & Smith Advisory Board. 

Clive is an active member of the Australian Ballet Foundation, Life member of Craft Victoria, Advisor for Pt Leo Estate and a Partner in ReThink Sustainability and has been on the selection panel for Miss Universe Australia since 2010.

Daniel Boetker-Smith
Director of the Centre for Contemporary Photography Melbourne, Australia, Daniel has curated major international exhibitions and photographic events in Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Aotearoa New Zealand, Ireland, UK, and the USA. He is a writer for a variety of print and online art/photography publications - Foam (Netherlands), British Journal of Photography (UK), Vault (Australia), Voices of Photography (Taiwan), Photoeye (USA), Lens Culture (USA), 1000 Words (UK), GUP Magazine, and others. Daniel is also the Founder of the Asia-Pacific Photobook Archive (est.2013).

Karen Webster - Creative Victoria

Karen Webster loves to make a difference! Karen has been a design advocate and leading academic in Australia’s creative industries for over four decades. She is an avid promoter for Australian design and creativity sharing her expertise as a consultant, mentor and expert. She has worked across the education spectrum including holding senior leadership positions in the internationally renowned School of Fashion and Textiles at RMIT University for over twenty years. 

In 2017, Karen took up an industry role as Design Director of globally awarded design company Buzz Products. From 2005 to 2010 she was the Festival Director of the Melbourne Fashion Festival which grew under her stewardship to include more than 300 events, unprecedented attendance levels and sponsorship support, making it a landmark event on the Melbourne cultural calendar. She has served on numerous government and industry advisory boards across the creative industries. In 2012, Karen was inducted into the Fashion Hall of Fame in Melbourne. 

Karen's extensive experience and engagement across the fashion and design sector has culminated in her current role working for the State Governments innovation arm: Creative Victoria. Karen is the Chair of the Victorian/Tasmania Chapter for the Design Institute of Australia and sits on their National Advisory Council.

Links to Marc Wasiak Foundation and works.

https://www.marcwasiakfoundation.com/

https://www.gerardandmarc.com/

https://www.instagram.com/marcwasiakstylist/

Links: 

Andrew Delaney https://www.instagram.com/annodominihome/

Alexandre Dubois https://faint.agency/ 

Bon Mott  https://bonmott.com/

Chilali Weller https://www.instagram.com/_chilali/

Erik Yvon https://erikyvon.com

Mae Hartrick https://maartrick.com.au/

Media Contact:

Gerard O’Connor | gerardphoto@gmail.com | 0414929723