Scholarship success for Park Ridge artist

Park Ridge artist Emma-Lee Boniface is the recipient of this year’s Robyn Daw Young Visual Artist Scholarship, receiving a $7,000 cash scholarship and private mentorship session with Queensland artist Dr Kellie O’Dempsey.

The scholarship program, now in its second year, aims to support young artists in the City of Logan whose practices relate to their cultural background, through professional development, exhibition exposure and financial assistance.

The program honours the late Robyn Daw, who led the Creative Industries Program for Logan City Council from 2012 until the time of her passing in January 2022.

City of Logan Mayor Jon Raven said the judges found it difficult to decide on a winner, as all finalists had produced thoughtful and meaningful work.

‘There were 8 incredible finalists aged between 18 and 35 whose stories were all different but very inspiring,’ Mayor Raven says.

‘They include a refugee from Syria, an immigrant from Afghanistan, a New Zealand-born fashion designer and someone living with autism.

‘But in the end it was Emma-Lee’s entry that shone because of their creative representation of multicultural themes through the different layers of their artwork.’

Emma-Lee plans to use the scholarship funding to establish a studio space to develop work at scale.

ABOVE: 2025 Robyn Daw Young Visual Artist Scholarship recipient Emma-Lee Boniface.

Honourable mentions for the scholarship were also awarded to Marsden resident Bea Harrison and Ayla Sayemuddahr, from Woodridge, who presented artworks which communicated important social and cultural themes, such as the Syrian revolution and The Treaty of Waitangi, which were both personal and universal.

Mayor Raven says the Robyn Daw scholarship is a great example of how the City of Logan is nurturing artistic talent.

‘Logan has so many diverse and talented artists of all ages, and it’s so exciting to be able to support them,’ Mayor Raven says.

‘The City of Logan’s future is brighter when we invest in our young and talented community.’

Artworks developed by the finalists in the 2025 Robyn Daw Young Visual Artist Scholarship can be seen at Logan Art Gallery, Logan Central, until Saturday, 12 July.

The other exhibitions on display include:

• Every home should have one, by FS Helfisch + Nancy Brown;
• Oh MG, by Chloe Wigg;
• Our friends, by Ella Bai, Sharon Yu, Nancy Guan, Cindy Ji, Olivia Gao, Alice Qian, Daniel Zhou, Luna Huang, Howell Ren and Frank Cui, and;
• World Environment Day Posters.

A program of workshops and artist talks will run alongside the exhibitions.

For more information and to register, visit loganarts.com.au/event/upcoming-exhibitions/

PHOTO AT TOP: 2025 Robyn Daw Young Visual Artist Scholarship recipient Emma-Lee Boniface.