Valuing Your Art
Deaf Children Australia’s Art Competition, has provided young creative talent with the opportunity to promote their creativity through our event and through the promotion of the competition. We launched the competition last year inviting two age categories to take part. With the second competition, we have added a new category, it has now become a national platform for deaf and hard of hearing young people aged 8 to 23 years. It is one of the only national competitions to give them the opportunity to explore art and to be exposed to a national audience.
Our second Art Competition has a new theme, “Heroes and Leaders” and we are accepting submissions until 23 January 2023. This time we are inviting artists to sell their art. To help young artists know how to do this, we asked one of our prolific art judges, Sue Joe Wright, to offer guidance on the key factors to consider and we have broken it down to help you make a start.
One key tip for valuing your artworks is not to sell yourself short. Pricing is important, don’t undervalue yourself!
Also factor in the following to get you started:
How much does it cost to have your work delivered to the buyer? If your piece is bulky or fragile, check with Australia Post to work out the cost.
How long did it take you to create the piece of art? You will then times this by your hourly rate. When considering your hourly rate it is important to remember you are starting out, so don't go too high.
How much are you spending on the frame and the framing process? This is important to think about, especially if your artwork is delicate or difficult to frame!
Art supplies cost money, so include the costs of the materials used to create your art. If you’re a painter – how much do your canvas and oil paints cost? If you create digital art, think about the cost to print, the kind of paper stock you want to print onto and the dimensions.
Remember, valuing art is about striking a balance – if the price is too expensive, people won’t buy your artwork and you won’t get any money.
At the start of your career, it may be a good idea to lower your expectations initially to get your name out there, and then charge more for your work as you have established a profile as an artist.
If you are still not sure, email communications@deafchildren.org.au and we’ll aim to help you.
Through our 2021-22 Art Competition, we have helped to generate a massive amount of exposure for young artists – and this has led to great opportunities for young and budding artists. You can also read some of the wonderful pieces of feedback we’ve received from artists:
“Being involved in a competition like this was really exciting for me. It’s definitely opened my eyes to how art is a whole world of communication.
It certainly gave me an excuse to try something a bit new and different.”
“Thank you for supporting me in my art.
Winning this prize has encouraged me to make more artworks.“


You can find out more about our Art Competition, and take part, by heading to our Art Competition page – at www.deafchildrenaustralia.org.au/art-competition.
Watch the 2021 livestream below!