Brisbane’s Riverfestival and goa Billboards have won the prestigious Australia Council Media Arts Award for a creative partnership using student art to promote water conservation and environmental sustainability.

The award was presented by Australia Council CEO Jennifer Bott at the annual Australia Business Arts Foundation Awards in Sydney.

‘Congratulations to Riverfestival and goa for this great project,’ said Ms Bott.

‘It partners the arts with media to deliver an important social message,’ she said. ‘And – best of all – art created by talented young people is displayed for all of Brisbane to see,’ she said.

In this winning partnership, school students from across Brisbane worked with artists and teachers to develop creative billboards featuring environmental slogans in the lead up to Riverclean – part of the Brisbane Riverfestival.

These creative billboards were entered to an art competition with works by selected young artists displayed on prominent goa Billboard sites around Brisbane for an entire month.

Billboards displaying winning artworks can now be seen at Cameron Parade, Wynnum North; Wynnum Railway Station; Geebung Railway Station; and Samford Road and Ferny Grove in Brisbane.

‘Riverfestival is thrilled with this award recognising our initiative with long-term sponsor goa Billboards’, said Jonathan Parsons, Riverfestival director.

‘It is great to work with a like-minded organisation, interested in really engaging with the community to raise awareness of environmental sustainability,’ he said.

Riverfestival and goa Billboards beat strong competition from Nationwide News (The Daily Telegraph) & Historic Houses Trust of NSW; and The Examiner, Tasmanian Perpetual Trustees; Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery and Ten Days on the Island to win the award.

The Australia Council Media Arts Award honours arts and media organisations working together, using innovation and creativity, to promote the value of the arts. Organisations can nominate themselves or others for this annual award.

The 7th Riverclean will happen on Sunday 21 August, with Riverfestival running from Friday 2 September to Sunday 11 September.