History of the Stanleys
In the early 1920s leading cartoonists participated in the Artists' Ball. This was an annual bohemian revel held at the Sydney Town Hall. When the revelry grew so boisterous for the more timid and elite fine artists that it was temporarily abandoned, the cartoonists took up the reins and for the next 30 years or so, continued to stage their own Black and White Artists Ball.
Out of these shindigs the Club grew. Named the Sydney Black and White Artists' Club, its membership included every famous cartoonist in Sydney, such as Stan Cross, Jim Bancks, Syd Nicholls, George Finey and so many others.
However, realising that there were numbers of newspaper cartoonists employed in other states and in country areas, the Sydney group decided it was time to expand their membership and activities. The name was changed to the Australian Black and White Artists' Club and the membership grew to more than 100 members. In 1984, the membership had grown to nearly 400 and it was decided by the national committee that it was time they had awards to be presented to winners in various categories and that an annual function should be held for the presentations.
In early 1985 the Awards Committee approached Mr Trevor Kennedy, then Editor-in-Chief of The Bulletin, to provide exclusive sponsorship for a series of annual awards for cartoonists and other newspaper and magagazine artists.
The Bulletin agreed to the sponsorship and named the event "The Bulletin Black and White Artists' Awards" and the tradition had begun. Samples of members' work was circulated to all members in the club in the form of the "voting book" and secret balloting by members for artists in six categories was conducted. The votes were forwarded anonymously to Peat Marwick and Mitchell, a leading firm of accountants who provided the names of the winners for the night.
The club commissioned Eberharde Franke to sculpt a model of the well known cartoon 'For gor'sake stop laughing, this is serious!' by Stan Cross, one of the greatest members of the black and white craft and a foundation member of the club. Bronze, silver and gold statuettes were cast from the model to present to the winners at the inaugural Awards Night in November 1985.
With an increased public profile, the club has attracted other corporations who recognise the talent of our artists' and their role in Australia. In 1989, The Australian newspaper sponsored the Bill Mitchell Award to be presented annually at The Stanleys as an encouragement award to young artists.
In 2010, the ACA will celebrate the 26th anniversary of The Stanleys. Nine bronze statuettes for: Comic Strip, Editorial/Political, Single Gag, Caricaturist, Illustrator and Media Graphic Artist. The Jim Russell Award is awarded to a cartoonist for services to the cartooning industry. The Gold Stanley, the major award, is awarded for Cartoonist of the Year.
Stanleys timeline
1985 Stanleys - staged at the Sheraton-Wentworth Hotel, Sydney - 1 November. MC Mike Carlton, guest Prime Minister Bob Hawke and speaker Paul Rigby.
1986 Stanleys - staged at the Sheraton-Wentworth Hotel, Sydney - 7 November. MC Daryl Somers, guest Prime Minister Bob Hawke and hoax speaker, Campbell McComas.
1987 Stanleys - staged at the Art Gallery of NSW - 6 November. MC George Negus, guests Pat Oliphant, NSW premier Barrie Unsworth.
1988 Stanleys - staged at The Regent Hotel, Melbourne - 4 November. MC Ray Martin, guest Victorian premier John Cain and speaker John Jensen.
1989 Stanleys - staged at the Regent Hotel, Sydney (now Four Seasons) - 10 November. MC Richard Carleton, guest Hon. Bill Hayden, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia.
1990 Stanleys - staged at the Regent Hotel, Sydney (now Four Seasons) - 9 November. MC Jane Singleton, guest federal treasurer Paul Keating, speaker Victoria Roberts.
1991 Stanleys - staged at the Sydney Hilton Hotel - 8 November. MC Glynn Nicholas, guest NSW Premier Nick Greiner , speaker Punch editor David Thomas.
1992 Stanleys - staged at the Park Lane Hotel, Sydney (now Sheraton On The Park) - 13 November. MC Andrew Denton, guest Federal Leader of the Opposition John Hewson, speaker Charles M. Jones, Esq.
1993 Stanleys - staged at the ANA Hotel, Sydney (now Shangri-La Hotel) - 29 October. MC Elle McFeast (Libbi Gorr), guests Graham Richardson and Sergio Aragones.
1994 Stanleys - staged at the Sydney Town Hall - 28 October. MC Paul Lyneham, guest Frank Sartor, Lord Mayor of Sydney, speaker Diana deBring (Cecil Hartt's daughter).
1995 Stanleys - staged at the National Press Club, Canberra (conference at The Brassey Hotel). MC Barry Crocker.
1996 Stanleys - staged at AJC, Randwick - 26 October. MC James Kemsley, guest Roger Law.
1997 Stanleys - staged at Stamford Plaza Hotel, Adelaide - 15 November. MC Richard Stubbs.
1998 Stanleys - staged at Novotel Opal Cove Resort, Coffs Harbour, NSW - 14 November. MC Glenn Robbins.
1999 Stanleys - staged at Hotel Inter.Continental, Sydney - 6 November. MC Jonathon Biggins, guest Bruce Petty.
2000 Stanleys - staged at the Queensland Art Gallery. MC Andrew Lofthouse, guest Michel Ramirez, speaker Gerry Connolly.
2001 Stanleys - staged at National Museum of Australia (conference at Rydges Lakeside Hotel) - 8 December. MC Roger Fletcher, guest the Right Reverend Dr. Peter Hollingworth, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia.
2002 Stanleys - staged at Rydges Lakeside Hotel, Canberra - 26 October. MC Warren Brown, guest Shane Porteous.
2003 Stanleys - staged at Lizotte's at Ettalong Beach, NSW (Conference at Ettalong Beach War Memorial Club) - 11 October. MC Bill Leak, guest Cr. Robert Bell, Mayor of Gosford City.
2004 Stanleys - staged at Grand Mercure Heritage Park, Bowral, NSW - 6 November. MC Bill Leak.
2005 Stanleys - staged at Peppers Fairmont Resort, Leura, NSW - 5 November. MC Warren Brown.
2006 Stanleys - staged at Ballarat, Victoria - 4 November. MC Rod Quantock, guests Paul and Marlene Rigby.
2007 Stanleys - staged at Rydges Wollongong, NSW - 3 November. MC H.G. Nelson, guest Tony Rafty.
2008 Stanleys - staged at Novotel Pacific Bay Resort, Coffs Harbour, NSW - 22 November. MC Jon English, guest Jim Borgman.
2009 Stanleys - staged at SCEC, Darling Harbour NSW (conference at Novotel Darling Harbour) - 14 November. MC Jean Kittson, guests Pat Oliphant and Tom Richmond.
2010 Stanleys - to be staged at Rydges Melbourne, Victoria - 5-7 November. Guests Stan Goldberg and Jason Seiler.
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