Michael Willson’s photo of Tayla Harris has taken the world by storm.
Sport Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) are proud to host a free photographic exhibition featuring women in sport from November 27 to December 8, continuing our commitment to inspiring greater recognition and gender equity in Australian sport.
An initiative of national advocacy body Women Sport Australia, the Women in Sport Photo Action Awards Exhibition (#WISPAA Exhibition) includes 30 stunning images of female athletes in full flight – including the iconic image of AFL Women’s star Tayla Harris.
Minister for Youth and Sport Richard Colbeck and Sport Australia CEO Kate Palmer said they were pleased to bring the exhibition to the AIS in Canberra.
Minister Colbeck said: “The Morrison Government with Sport Australia is dedicated to creating opportunities for female participation at all levels of sport, from grassroots sport for women and girls, through to elite female athletes representing our country on the world stage.
“I congratulate Women Sport Australia for bringing together this fantastic exhibition. It is a valuable symbol of our commitment to greater female participation in Australian sport and we are proud to back the boom in Aussie women’s sport.”
Ms Palmer said: “More than 130,000 people take public tours of the AIS each year and there are more than half-a-million visits, so this is an important cultural site to showcase this exhibition and demonstrate the power of sport to inspire Australians.
“For many years Sport Australia has been advocating for the increased recognition of girls and women in sport.
“The photo of Tayla Harris has become an iconic image for Australian sport in 2019, but the beauty of this exhibition is it shows there are remarkable feats of strength, courage and athleticism being performed by women in many sporting arenas every single day.”
Women Sport Australia Director Louise Evans created #WISPAA to help change media and public perceptions and the portrayal of women in sport.
“There has been a fantastic reaction to this exhibition all around the country, with people able to marvel at the power, courage, control and skill captured in these inspirational images,” Evans said.
“The aim of #WISPAA is to make action photos of sportswomen the norm and so the exhibition allows people to view these stunning images as they go about their normal lives.
“The women in these photos are great role models to their families, their teams and their communities.”
The exhibition will be held in the Marathon Room at the AIS Visitor Centre, Canberra, from November 27 to December 8. The exhibition is free to public and the AIS Visitor Centre is open 8.30am-5pm weekdays and 9.30am-4pm weekends.
