Announcing the Winners of the Live Well, Die Well Art Prize: Celebrating Life and Death Through Art
09 Sep 2025
The winners of the 2025 Live Well, Die Well Art Prize have been announced across six categories on the eve of the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference (OPCC) in Brisbane. The national art prize, run by Palliative Care Australia and supported by Arcare, encourages Australians to explore the human experiences of living, dying, and grieving through visual art.
Overall Winner:
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Vicki White (NSW) – Tethered To Earth (2024 Photopolymer Photogravure Etching on Paper)
Category Winners:
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First Nations Artist: Leeann Pedersen (WA) – Going Back to Our First Home
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Emerging Artist: Claire B Cusack (ACT) – Matthew
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Artist Living with a Disability: Jean Kelly (QLD) – Patches and Memories
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Primary School Student: Genevieve Sebastian (QLD) – Defying Ageism: Living Life with Flair and Laughter
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Secondary School Student: Sarah Polkinghorne (NSW) – Letters from Joan
Vicki White said her winning artwork captured a deeply personal and peaceful moment with her father before he passed away under community palliative care. She explained, “When I saw the art prize come up, I just felt like it was something that needed to be put out there.”
Leeann Pedersen’s work reflects the importance of Aboriginal people returning to their first home at the end of life, highlighting cultural connections and healing through country. Emerging artist Claire Cusack shared a heartfelt tribute to her late brother Matthew, showing the impact of palliative care on families. Jean Kelly’s piece uses patchwork to illustrate the meaningful interactions between patients and healthcare workers at the end of life. Primary and secondary school winners Genevieve Sebastian and Sarah Polkinghorne focused on celebrating life, family, and intergenerational connections.
Over the next three days, works by 33 finalists will be displayed at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre as part of OPCC. Delegates will also vote for the People’s Choice Award, to be announced at the conference closing ceremony on 12 September.
Palliative Care Australia CEO Camilla Rowland said the prize helps Australians engage with palliative care and normalises conversations around death and dying. “Art allows us to celebrate life, reflect on loss, and recognise the care and compassion given to people facing life-limiting illness,” Ms Rowland said.
The art prize has a total prize pool of over $10,000 and highlights creativity across ages, experiences, and abilities, reinforcing equity and accessibility in storytelling through art.
A full list of finalists and their artworks can be viewed on the Palliative Care Australia website.
Source: Palliative Care Australia
