Search begins for artist to create next Prime Minister’s Bust

The City of Ballarat is beginning the search for the next artist to contribute to the famed Prime Ministers Avenue in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens.

An Expression of Interest inviting public artists to apply to sculpt the bust of the Hon Scott Morrison MP, 30th Prime Minister of Australia, has now been released.

The Prime Ministers Avenue is a feature of national significance, with each of the 29 preceding Prime Ministers displayed as bronze portraits mounted on polished granite pedestals. The most recent sculpture of the Hon Malcolm Turnbull AC was unveiled in November 2022.

The City of Ballarat is also proud to announce a substantial donation via the Ballarat Botanical Gardens Foundation dedicated solely to the Prime Ministers Walk has been received.

The donation from local resident B.R.Carlson will help produce the next four busts and is the first to be made to support the Walk since its inception via the original donor, Richard Crouch.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said it was exciting to see the initial steps being taken towards installing the next Prime Minister’s bust.

“The Prime Ministers Avenue is an absolute treasure of Ballarat and we know so many people understand its historical significance,” he said.

“To be in receipt of such a donation is unbelievably generous and we can’t thank the benefactor and the Ballarat Botanical Gardens Foundation enough. It’s reassuring to know the future is bright for the Avenue.

“We’d love to attract a nationally recognised artist to make the next contribution along the Avenue.”

Once identified, the successful artist will coordinate sitting dates with the MP to produce first concepts and will oversee the production of a bronze cast sculpture to be installed at an agreed date.  

The coordination of sitting dates and production timetables is at the discretion of both the artist and the availability of the subject. The City of Ballarat receives advice on the timetable from both sitter and artist.  

The timing of the installation and unveiling of the final sculpture is also at the discretion and availability of the subject. The City of Ballarat will take advice on the suitable timing of activities from the National Portrait Gallery who commission portraits of previous Prime Ministers.  

Applications are to be made to the Public Art Officer, Creative City – Arts and Events, City of Ballarat, via email at publicart@ballarat.vic.gov.au  

For further information, visit the Expressions of Interest document.

Expressions of Interest close on September 29, with the successful artist expected to be commissioned in October.

Prime Ministers Walk History

The Prime Minister’s Walk, or Avenue, was opened on March 2 ,1940 by the then Governor of Victoria, Sir Winston Duggan. Duggan unveiled the busts of the first six Prime Ministers of Australia at a ceremony in the long avenue of Horse Chestnuts.  

The founding donor, Richard Armstrong Crouch, was born in Ballarat in 1868. He was elected to Federal Parliament in 1901 as a member of the Protectionist Party for the electorate of Corio, representing that area until his defeat nine years later.  

Crouch’s gift of the initial PM busts was supported and managed by the City of Ballarat’s Public Art program, with the city funding the commission, management and installation of the busts and taking care of conservation and maintenance of the complete collection. The 2023 donation by B.R.Carlson further ensures the legacy of the Avenue.

The collection of sculptures is an important part of the City of Ballarat’s Public Art Collection, a collection worth in excess of $20 million and consisting of up to 125 different public artworks within civic spaces.