Each year, the Adelaide Film Festival administers this significant $50,000 award on behalf of the Jim Bettison and Helen James Foundation. The award recognises an individual whose lifelong work has made a meaningful contribution to the Australian community across the arts and humanities, social justice, the environment, or the sciences.
Past recipients are architect Richard Leplastrier AO, artist Angela Valamanesh, First Nations community leader and health advocate Major (Moogy) Sumner AM, composer, playwright and disability advocate Pat Rix, environmentalist, human rights campaigner and former political leader Dr Bob Brown, medical researcher Professor David Vaux AO, palaeontologist Professor John Long, author, historian and advocate - and former co-chair of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples - Jackie Huggins AM, photographer Robert McFarlane, dancer, choreographer and director Meryl Tankard AO, adventurer, environmental scientist, author and filmmaker Tim Jarvis AM and cultural leader Greg Mackie OAM.
Anyone can nominate someone whose work deserves this recognition, follow the link to nominate:
THE JIM BETTISON & HELEN JAMES FOUNDATION
The Jim Bettison and Helen James Foundation was established to realise the vision of Dr Jim Bettison and Ms Helen James through the annual Bettison and James award.
Helen and Jim were far-sighted and creative thinkers, committed to supporting a wide range of activity in the community through philanthropy and professional engagement. Jim co-founded Codan, a successful and award-winning Adelaide company, established the Developed Image Photographic Gallery and served as Deputy Chancellor at the University of Adelaide. Helen was an exhibiting studio artist. She served on various key arts committees and was a founding member of the National Library of Australia’s Foundation Board.