Live Well, Die Well Art Prize 2025 Finalists Announced

Thirty-three finalists from around Australia have been selected for the 2025 Live Well, Die Well Art Prize, a Palliative Care Australia initiative supported by Arcare, celebrating creative reflections on living, dying, and grieving well. 

Palliative Care Australia’s Chief Executive Officer, Camilla Rowland, said the national art prize has been another way to engage the community in conversations about end-of-life care and the importance of living well until the end.  

“It’s been very moving to see how every artist who has submitted work for the Live Well, Die Well Art Prize has explored themes of mortality, compassion and care. We received over 100 entries, and each artwork has captured the diversity of lived experiences and perspectives,” Ms Rowland said.  

“I hope that people come along to see the Finalists’ work on display at the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference in Brisbane. Art is a powerful therapeutic platform – and every artwork has the potential to connect us with stories that help us better understand the complexity of life’s final chapter. 

“Our sincere thanks go to our sponsor Arcare, our judges and everyone who took the time to create and share their artwork with us,” Ms Rowland said. 

The finalists have been selected by an independent panel of judges and their artwork will be shown at the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference (25OPCC) in Brisbane 10–12 September 2025 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. 

Live Well, Die Well Art Prize winners will be selected and announced at 6.30pm on Tuesday 9 September 2025. 

A full list of finalists and their artworks is available on the Palliative Care Australia website: https://palliativecare.org.au/2025-national-palliative-care-live-well-die-well-art-prize-finalists-2025/ 

 2025 Live Well, Die Well Art Prize Finalists: 

• Alana Beveridge – NSW

• Alexandra and George Riquelme – VIC 

• Alicia Thomas – VIC 

• Amanda Western – VIC 

• Annie McConnell – QLD 

• Anu Kakwani – NSW 

• Claire B Cusack – ACT 

• Cornelia Selover – VIC 

• David Fenoglio – QLD 

• Emma Lohmann – NSW 

• Erik Krebs – ACT 

• Genevieve Sebastian – QLD 

• Hamish Fleming – SA 

• Heidi Principe – NSW 

• Jaimee Bradshaw – QLD 

• Jean Kelly – QLD 

• Jewel (Jule) Polkinghorne – QLD 

• Joe Ruckli – QLD 

• John Derrick – VIC 

• Kath Kerswell – QLD 

• Kaye Wild – VIC 

• Inn Goossen (11 years old) and Leah Clarke – NT 

• Leeann Pedersen – WA 

• Liz Gridley – VIC 

• Maggie Stein – NSW 

• Marina Lonsdale – QLD 

• Matthew Sumner – ACT 

• Nicole Gammie – VIC 

• Sarah Polkinghorne – NSW 

• Dr Sujatha Shanmugasundaram – ACT 

• Tania Lucas – VIC 

• Vicki White – NSW 

• Zimmi Forest – NSW  
   

Notes to Editors: 

• The Live Well, Die Well Art Prize is a Palliative Care Australia initiative to foster public engagement with palliative care through the arts. In 2025, over 100 submissions were entered across eight categories.  

• The 2025 Art Prize sponsor, Arcare, is Australia’s leading residential aged care provider, with over 50 unique residences in Victoria, New South Wales, ACT and Queensland. 

• Over 1400 delegates are expected to attend the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference (25OPCC) in Brisbane. More information is available at www.25OPCC.com