E-Waste: Exhibition Call Out

Seeking applications from emerging and established artist(s) working with the themes and / or materials associated with e-waste and its impacts.

E-waste, or electronic waste, is any item that has a cord, plug, or battery and is no longer useful.

CCC Gallery is seeking applications from emerging and established artist(s) working with the themes and / or materials associated with e-waste and its impacts. The successful artist(s) will be exhibited as part of a larger curated educational exhibition on the topic of e-waste.

Eligibility
Artists practicing in any medium are welcome to apply.
Artists who are able to demonstate a connection to Cardinia Shire will be considered favourably.
Artists with any public program ideas are encouraged to outline those in their application. CCC is a venue that focuses on community engagement.

E-waste in Cardinia
The broader waste industry have stated that waste truck fires (also referred to as ‘hot loads’) have increased significantly in the past few years. Prior to 2021 they were much less common and we would typically see these incidents about once a year (or less). Yet in just the past 12 months (Feb 2023 – Feb 2024) Cardinia has experienced 7 hot loads – 3 of these in January/February of this year. Lithium-ion batteries are a huge factor due to their size, but household batteries, appliances, vapes and e-cigarettes, mobile phones, devices and battery powered toys are regularly found in household bins despite not being accepted.

Our recycling processor has seen 5 facility fires between Nov 2023 and Feb 2024 and they’ve reported an increase in various flammable materials in recycling bins (but this only includes items that are found during sorting so some smaller batteries may end up being sorted with aluminium cans or similar).

Cardinia Material audits also show an increase in e-waste in kerbside bins year on year.
Below data from our last few recycling bin audits completed in 2022 and 2023 show that the ‘volume’ of e-waste in kerbside bin samples were double those in 2022. In The 2023 report also highlighted that 45% of truck samples audited contained e-waste or batteries.

E-waste is a very broad definition so this is not a reliable indicator of what specific items are being put in household bins, but any increase is still a concern.

Bigger picture stats include but are not limited to:
– E-waste is the fastest growing waste stream both in Australia and globally (growing three times faster than any other waste stream)
– Batteries and electronics also often contain highly toxic elements such as mercury and lead which can leach into soil and groundwater so in response the Victorian Government banned the disposal of e-waste in landfills, effective from July 2019.
– Discarded e-waste is estimated to contain more than $60billion is precious metals and finite resources including gold, silver, copper, platinum – and infinitely recyclable materials like glass and aluminium.
– “Between 2014 and 2019, the global annual generation of e-waste rose from 44.4 million tonnes to 53.6 million tonnes. This is expected to increase to 74.7 million tonnes by 2030.”
It’s estimated that between 17 and 30% of this is recycled / mined for valuables and most peripheral materials (plastic, glass etc) are discarded.

 

Dates
Application closes: Thursday, 1 May, 5pm
Application outcomes: Successful applicant(s) will be notified by the end of May

Bump in: Friday, 1 August – Tuesday, 5 August 2025

Exhibition dates: Wednesday, 6 August – Wednesday, 3 September 2o25

Bump out: Thursday, 4 September 2025

Gallery
Opened in November 2019, CCC Gallery is a vibrant new art-space featuring curated traditional, digital and new-media exhibitions and installations by leading practice and emerging artists.

This one-of-a-kind gallery delivers both majesty and intimacy through the clever architectural design and savvy technological assets, allowing for a multi-dimensional arts experience.

Full gallery tech specs.

Fee
An artist fee of $5,000 is paid to the artist in the event of a solo exhibition.
Artist fees will be negotiated in the event of a group exhibition.
Fees will be paid in two instalments.

Artist
The artist is responsible for installing and deinstalling the exhibition, with the support of gallery staff. The artist is also be required to submit suitable promotion images ahead of the exhibition install with a complete blurb and updated artist’s bio.

The artist will be supported by the gallery team with curatorial support and exhibition promotion on the CCC website and socials.

Contact for any enquiries
Elizaveta Maltseva
Marketing & Engagment Officer
e.maltseva@cardinia.vic.gov.au
+61 3 5943 4527

or

Blake Guttridge
Venue Administration and Program Officer
b.guttridge@cardinia.vic.gov.au
+61 3 5943 4005

 

free
Dates & times
Thursday 01 May
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