Waste 2 Art
Waste 2 Art is a FREE waste inspired art competition and exhibition that celebrates the reuse and recycling of waste. There’s a category for every member of the community, and each year there is a waste theme to guide your creations. The focus of Waste 2 Art is to challenge the way we look at waste.
2026 WASTE THEME: SHRINK YOUR FOOTPRINT
The Waste 2 Art Competition and Exhibition is back for 2026, and this year we are inviting our community to take on an exciting challenge: Shrink Your Footprint.
Why “Shrink Your Footprint”?
Every year, humanity generates over 2 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste. Imagine this: if packed into shipping containers and placed end-to-end, that waste would circle the Earth 25 times – or stretch farther than the journey to the moon and back (UNEP, 2024).
Our waste footprint is growing - and it's a global challenge. Every individual contributes to this issue through purchasing decisions, daily habits, and how waste is managed at home. Every purchase, every habit, every choice we make adds to a growing footprint that fuels climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
This reality calls for urgent action to scale up efforts to prevent waste generation; to extend adequate safe and affordable waste management and to ensure that all unavoidable waste is managed safely. But here’s the good news – you have the power to change this. Refuse what you don’t need, reduce what you use, reuse whenever possible, and recycle responsibly. Every conscious choice brings us closer to a cleaner, healthier planet.
Your Challenge
This year, we want you to think small – literally!
- All artwork must fit into a shoebox. This is a mandatory condition and reflects the theme of reducing impact and thinking creatively within limits.
- Artwork must be made entirely from recyclable or reused materials. This ensures that your creation not only inspires but also demonstrates practical ways to give waste a second life.
We know, through the great works of art the Bathurst community has created over the years, that you are up for this challenge.
The Waste 2 Art competition welcomes schools, community groups and individuals to get involved and turn their rubbish into art.
There are several categories for primary and secondary school students as well as community members and professional artists in the Open category. These include two dimensional, three dimensional, and functional artworks. Students can also make their art at home and then select primary or secondary when entering.
KEY INFORMATION
Entries Open: Monday 5 January 2026
Entries Close: Monday 27 April 2026, 3.00pm, submit an entry HERE
Competition and Exhibition Location: The 2026 Competition and Exhibition will be held at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre (BMEC), 105 William Street, Bathurst.
Delivering Artworks: Artists can deliver their artworks to BMEC on Sunday 26 April 10.00am - 3.00pm & Monday 27 April 10.00am - 3.00pm.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Video resources
Introduction: Waste 2 Art 2026 - Shrink Your Footprint
Why should we care about toy waste?
Waste 2 Art
An Educator's Resource
We have created this comprehensive, easy-to-follow, curriculum-focused resource for educators of students ranging from pre-kinder to senior high school. Download here: Waste 2 Art - Educators Resource(PDF, 4MB)
Video Resources from Previous Years:
Further Enquiries:
Contact Number: 02 6333 6544
Email: waste2art@bathurst.nsw.gov.
Waste 2 Art is more than an art competition – it's a movement. By turning discarded items into creative masterpieces, you show that waste doesn’t have to be wasted. Start planning your shoebox-sized artwork today! Think about how you can use recyclable materials to create something unique and meaningful. Together, we can shrink our footprints and inspire others to do the same.