Following the successful women’s performance night this year which raised more than $600 for the Keeping Them Safe fund, IWD 2019 will see the launch of the Julie Smith Women’s Art Prize and Patricia Caskie Women’s Literature Prize.

“The prizes are named for local women who excelled in the fields of art and literature,” said Julianne Collingridge, president of Coota Wattlebirds Inc.

“It’s a privilege to be able to honour both women with this new biennial local women’s competition.”

Entries to the art and literature competitions will be required to meet a size or word limit and focus on one of two themes: My town, my place, or, My corner of the world.

The competition is open to girls and women residing in the Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council area. 

“With more than 5000 females in our council region, we anticipate receiving a large number of entries,” Ms Collingridge said.

The competition is being promoted to local schools, clubs and arts organisations as well as libraries and TAFE campuses.

It has three sections: primary school, high school and open.

Entry forms may be obtained from local schools, council, emailing cootawattlebirds@gmail.com or from the Cootamundra IWD 2019 facebook page and must be submitted by February 14, 2019 to council or your school.

More information will be provided closer to the event to be held in March 2019.

All entrants will be contacted with information on where and when to deliver their entries and pay the small entry fee.