Hosted by the Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia (JMGA) WA Chapter Inc., the exhibition is a feature in the program of the 2024 JMGA biennial conference, INVOLUTION:Making Jewellery, Creating Change.

Established in 1984, this biennial survey exhibition has a continued legacy of providing valuable exposure of the work of emerging makers. This is the sixteenth Graduate Award Exhibition to coincide with a JMGA biennial conference and it is the third time Graduate Metal has been hosted by Western Australia.

Graduate Metal 16 is a juried survey exhibition. To be eligible for consideration, graduates need to enter works created in their final year of study in an Australian or New Zealand tertiary course. They need to have completed a Diploma, Associate Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Undergraduate or Honours degree in jewellery and/or metalsmithing since the last JMGA Biennial Conference in Melbourne in July 2017.

Therefore, Graduate Metal 16, will be a selection of graduate works from 2017-2023.

Graduate Metal 16 is a key JMGA initiative that fosters emerging talent and draws attention to the achievements of recent graduates. From a graduate’s perspective, the exhibition offers the opportunity to show their best final-year work in a major exhibition. They and others can see their work in the context of what has been produced by their peers from Australia and New Zealand. The exhibited works stand as testimony to what has interested, motivated and captivated students in their final year of study.

For the exhibition viewer, the exhibition offers the unique opportunity to see first-hand the works that are emerging from TAFE, university and polytechnic studios.

In light of many tertiary course closures in Australia and New Zealand, this survey show provides an insight into recent directions in education for jewellery and metalsmithing and is more important than ever.

The exhibition will be held at Gallery Central, 12 Aberdeen St. Northbridge.

Exhibition opens for viewing: 16^th September 2024 (TBC)

Official celebration award night:Thursday October 3^rd 6.00pm and running until 11^thOctober

There is a selection process involved to exhibit, ensuring a show of the highest quality graduation exhibition work. A curation committee will be appointed to select work from the applications received. An esteemed panel of judges will also select works for awards and prizes in the exhibition.